Growing Pains
by squeekness
Summary: The Xmen have their hands full with Jael, but a bigger problem arises first. Part 12 of the Game.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: The X-men have their hands full with Jael, but a bigger problem arises first. Part 12 of the Game.

Rated M for profanity, violence and some sexual content.

Disclaimer : I do not own the X-men or any of their associated villains, but the Siskans, the Dognan, Jael and the Outkasts are mine. Please do not use them without my permission. Thanks. :)

Notes :Art has been posted for Ambuscade on my website if anyone cares to look at it.

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(One)

_I hear you ask, "Why would you run away, Dreamer? I thought the 'grams were supposed to stay behind, a prize for the victor of the Game."_

_I could see early on that there were no real rules in this so called "Game" of theirs. All the players were cheating and so I would as well. I could only cheat so far -- going to my Master against the wishes of the Spirits had done David no good. I would not make that mistake again. In my visions, however, nothing was said about me running away and so I grabbed Babette and fled._

_I had only one option as far as where to go. I had helped Remy all those years ago, now hopefully he would help me. I soon saw I had nothing to worry about --- when I arrived at his home I asked for help and he gratefully received me. I was still frightened in spite of his attempts to calm me, I had been uprooted from all that I had known and was now in this strange new place._

_This whole episode had been very trying. I had defied the voices in my black room and paid a terrible price. It had cost me David, my Master, my sisters. How deeply would I be punished for my transgression? Would the punishment continue? I still had more to lose. There was still my special little one. The one who's voice I would hear in my visions. Always she had called out to me, asking for my help. Would her voice be gone now as well? Had I killed her, too, in my stupidity?_

_The answer came to me the first night I arrived. I dreamt and found my black room. I couldn't get in there fast enough. I had to know if I had truly failed in everything or if there was some way I could make up for what I had done. Once inside and in the black, I screamed and cried, calling out to her, but she did not answer. At first I panicked and that made things worse but then I realized the fault was mine. When I am too loud and crazy in my mind the voices are blocked to me. I forced myself to relax and go quiet. It took a moment but then she came._

_"Catch me, Aiden! Catch me!"_

_I fell to my knees and wept with joy._

------------------------------

Jennah grumbled to herself, unhappy in the simmering Arizona heat. It was early morning, just after sunup, but it was already quite warm. She was a relatively new member of the X-men team but had been blessed with a medium level telekinetic ability. Or cursed — it had prompted her field boss to volunteer her for perimeter patrol. "You'll earn brownie points," he'd said with a grin.

"Brownie points, my ass!" she complained now, feeling more duped into taking a shit job than feeling heroic or noble out here.

Spying a nearby rock under a nice shady outcropping, Jennah headed right on over. She was new to this job and the higher level of physical activity. Out in the real world, she had been a simple factory worker, sitting at a machine all day. Not much going on there in physical exercise. The only good thing she could say about her new situation was that she'd lost a hefty twenty pounds. Lookin' good, but too pooped to do much with it.

She sat down on the rock with a satisfied grunt and spread her legs out, taking the weight off her poor aching feet. As a telekinetic, she was more used to cheating with her powers, taking off the edge of the physical load, but since joining this team, she'd been trained not to do that, that it was weakening her body and sapping her strength. Bulked up in bigger, stronger muscles now (too pooped, I say, too pooped to do anything!) she really couldn't argue that she was healthier now.

Jennah decided she was going to take a break whether it was too early or not. She slid off her pack and took out a nice large bottle of cool water. She was grateful now for the ice cubes she'd plopped in there before she left. She was a little slow, but she was learning fast, by golly. If only she could learn to say no when offered a shit job wrapped in a bright shiny wrapper.

Drinking her water, she noted that the outcropping was actually the footing of a small cave. Maybe if she was adventurous, she might take a peek in there. For the moment she was happy just to a take a load off and enjoy the view.

On her rock, she could also see the Complex twinkling away in the distance, about a mile or so away. She was up on a rise and the vista was pretty amazing. The security here was pretty good she had to admit. All she saw was a large glass building surrounded by pavement and an airstrip. Other buildings were close by, but far enough away to ensure privacy. There was no sign that there were hidden armaments planted in the ground nor could any view be had of the field generator that protected the Complex. It looked like nothing out of the ordinary was going on out there.

Also hidden was the construction site for the new Dragon. Everyone knew that the work was going to begin on it today. She would have loved to have been part of the security crew working there but hadn't been lucky enough to be picked. Maybe if she did well here, she could get transferred to the site before the work was done.

Jennah startled when her radio crackled. "Jennah! Where are you!"

She clicked it on. "Hey, boss. You sound a bit angry."

"Where are you? You should have been here five minutes ago!"

"I'm sitting on a rock, drinking a nice bottled water, and deciding just how I'm going to tell you to take this job and shove it. I'm putting in for the food court. This sucks."

Her boss laughed. "You said that yesterday and the day before that."

"Probably because it's true."

"We're moving on to the next marker, with or without you, girl."

"Yeah, yeah. Leave the newbie behind, survival of the fittest and all that."

"Very funny, kid. Seriously, you've got five minutes."

"Go on ahead, I'll catch up."

"You sure?"

Jennah laughed. "Yeah, boss. Just gonna sip some water, reapply my wilted sunscreen before I burn to a crisp. I'll be there, I promise."

"I'll right. Be careful."

"Oh, sure. I feel so threatened. I think I saw a tarantula crawl by, a few scorpions..."

"You're a hoot and half, Jennah. See you in ten, okay?"

"Ten minutes it is."

It was an appointment she would never keep.

Jennah clicked her radio off and clipped it back to her belt. The bottle of water made it back into the pack, but as she stooped to raise the bag, the air in front of her did a funny thing. It rippled in a blur, and then a man appeared as if out of thin air.

_I'm overheated, it's a hallucination_, Jennah thought in stupefied wonder, too amazed to move.

"Well, now. Ain't you jus' the prettiest thing," the stranger said in a lazy drawl, reminding her instantly of Kimble. "Bless the sprits, what a nice surprise."

Jennah had bumped into Kimble briefly, was one of his first conquests in the Club on his level. He stuck in her mind since he was so lovely, but he'd pissed her off when all of her requests for a repeat performance were denied, something he never did explain. She'd taken him for a snob or a sexual addict after that and stopped trying. It didn't stop her from thinking back on him now and again especially since she'd heard the pilot had gotten into some trouble.

This new arrival sounded like Kimble, but he looked anything but. He was tall and magnificent, his green eyes looking on her with a hungry gleam. His hair was long and streaming out behind him in a bright red mane, reaching his waist and unrestrained. It blew about him, calling attention to the fact that he was only half dressed. He was standing there in pure male glory clad only in a pair of tight black stretch pants that left nothing to the imagination.

"I'm dreaming. It's this damn heat..." Jennah mumbled, wavering slightly as she felt the world around her go a little fuzzy.

"Yer dreamin' all right. Gonna make it real fine fer you, Jennah. Real fine," her visitor promised, moving forward. His hands were slender and white, pale in the daylight as he moved them in a circle about her face, as if he wanted to frame her there, frozen in space.

"How do you know my name...?" Jennah asked in a breathless wheeze, spellbound. The world had closed in, becoming so small it included only her, the man, and the rock.

He didn't answer, he was much too sure of his handiwork in the art of dazzling, but took her into his arms instead, plundering her mouth in a greedy vampire kiss. Her mind was blasted away with a combination of lust and bliss, an intoxicating drug so powerful there was no possible way she could resist. She'd felt this before, briefly when Kimble had taken her, only not on this scale. Where Kimble's Kundatesh flavored love was just enough to make her dizzy, this wave was a tsunami, sweeping her away.

Her eyes closed and her legs gave way, a complete surrender. It didn't matter, he caught her easily and lay her down gently under the outcropping, the kiss never ending, only drowning her and taking her under. She never felt the gravel digging into her back, almost didn't notice it when he carefully dragged her into the cave. Guess she was going to have that peek in here after all. Her black denim pants seemed to loose themselves of their own free will, removed by unseen hands and tangling about her feet, but she felt it when he took her, oh yes. It was the most heavenly thing she had ever sensed on any level, all thoughts of being raped or violated never rising. Her will was gone, overridden and blasted away by his intoxicating charm. He was inside her, over her and all around her in a cloud of sparkling glitter lights, a dizzying light show that was beautiful on a near religious scale. She was shaking almost instantly with a paralyzing orgasm, one that stunned her and left her gasping.

"Oh, m' sweet..." her mysterious new lover drawled, seemingly oblivious that the girl below him was anything but mush. "That wuz so fine, so vera fine. Do it again, precious, come on. Feel me, feed me..."

Jennah's body humbly complied, all control from the mind operating it gone. They continued like that for a few moments more, this strange man coaxing all she had to give from her like a vampire lover, feeding not on her blood, but her vibrations of pleasure and rapture. He touched her with great care, treating her like some kind of treasured lover best treated well. He kissed her, stroked her, tasted every inch of her. She couldn't hold back for long, she shook again, harder than before, her mind on fire.

"Wuz that good, Jennah?" he asked her finally, nuzzling her neck with soft and gentle kisses. He knew she was wasted, emotionally empty, and could give no more. She would be unconscious in minutes.

"Yes..." she replied numbly, her voice little more than a whisper. "My god..."

He sat up a bit, all the better to look her over. She couldn't move, she was too exhausted, the fact that she was telekinetic meaningless at this moment. He knew it, even smiled about it some as he stroked her long lovely thighs. "Yer such a pretty thing, Takin' real care o' y'self. Gots some nice meat here, girl. Trust me, I knows."

"Meat...?" she repeated blearily, too stoned to wonder where this was going.

"Yeah, it's real fine. Guess them X guys gots you all in shape. So nice, so tender. Meat with just enough fat left fer flavor. Famayalin will be so pleased.."

"Famay..a..lin?"

He stoked her hair gently and soothed her with his voice as he would a child. "S'okay, Jennah. Don'tcha worry none abouts it. You jus' lie still now."

"Lie...still..." Jennah wheezed, not even flinching when her half open eyes registered a large crystalline blade coming into view. It glinted in the sunlight from the cave door, sparkly and bright. The stranger kissed her once more, blasting her mind and destroying all panic, all desire to fight. She never felt it as the blade next plunged deep into her neck, biting into her flesh and setting free a jet of bright red blood in an arterial gush. It was so very far away, happening to someone else. Someone who used to exist, but just didn't matter any more. All there was was bliss. A never ending bliss fading into black.

The red haired stranger let her bleed out, separating his mouth from hers only when she had come to the last. Feeding on her joy was one thing, but he disliked the taste of the dying last embers of her soul. He let her go, then rose, his body all clean of her blood in spite of laying so close to her. He'd formed a clear telekinetic shield around himself --- he enjoyed the hunt, but not the mess.

Whistling cheerfully now, he dressed and reached for Jennah's pack. He dumped it out, making room, and then spent a moment more deciding which parts of his kill to take. Which ones that had that had the most meat, the best flavor. He made his choices, butchering the woman with unseen telekinetic hands, singing all the while as he wrapped what he wanted in the remains of her clothing.

He worked quickly, knowing they would be coming for her soon. He loaded the pack and then pawed through her possessions, smiling when he noted her security badge. This might come in handy later, yes, when it was time to finally to take that trip to the bright shiny building below. One lion just wasn't going to be enough. No, he would need one more.

-------------------

Just as Jennah was greeting her strange new friend, Remy stood with Fallen outside the trailer office that had been set up as Seth's temporary headquarters for the construction of the new Dragon. The site was located out on the huge expanse of blacktop and was fairly large, having a couple of acres fenced off and private. Materials for the construction were laid out and waiting. Guards had been placed all around, both for the site itself and the Siskans working in it.

Logan stood next to Gambit, smoking silently. This was the first day of work and there was an air of expectation and excitement. Both of them had been assigned to security here, making sure everyone was where they should be. Remy looked up when he heard Fallen laugh and say, "Same old Kimble." Seth's wayward brother had arrived.

What made Fallen laugh was that Kimble had come fully prepared for work. He came up from a lower level stairwell, walking with a renewed liquid grace. He was dressed only in a new pair of dark painter's pants that had been cut into shorts to accommodate his crooked legs. He carried a rather large boom box (not new, only neglected) with a book of CDs velcroed to one side. The box was presently silent, but it wouldn't be for long. He had a smile teasing the corners of his mouth as he spoke to his lover and now, co-worker.

Aiden trailed him, looking cool but nervous as he listened to whatever exciting tale Kimble was telling. He had no clue what he was doing here. He was dressed as usual with the wide open Hawaiian shirt, khaki shorts and work boots. A pair of leather work gloves were stuffed into a back pocket.

Fallen may have thought Kimble was the same, but Remy knew better. The process of rebuilding Kimble's confidence was back in full swing and it was evident in the way he walked and the sharpness of his clothing. Aiden had gone shopping, choosing something for Kimble that he might wear for himself. Really, just the fact that Kimble was shirtless, displaying his bright Mark for all to see was something. It had been a while since he had been so bold in front of other people. Kimble's eyes were bright and merry and it had been easy to make him laugh, always a good sign. In the short three days that he and Aiden had renewed their relationship, Kimble had strengthened, become more of the Siskan he was supposed to be. Remy couldn't be more pleased.

Kimble set the boom box down and walked over to Fallen. He was still unsettled around his former Mistress, uncertain about how she felt about him, but with his newfound confidence, decided that he wasn't going to let her bad vibes change his ways. He gave her and Remy each a kiss on the cheek in greeting, ignored Logan as usual, and reached for a folded blueprint that was tucked under Fallen's arm. He scanned it quickly and grunted, "Let's do it. Framin' first."

Fallen nodded at him and he walked off. Boom box first, actually. He clicked a button and out came Bachman Turner Overdrive, "Takin' care of Business". Really, what else would do? He moved to where the building supplies lay, smiling as Fallen came up beside him. They had worked together well in the past and he had fond memories, enough that he couldn't help but find some pleasure in being used for the construction, this was going to be fun. He barked playfully in Siskan and vaulted up into the air in a single graceful movement. She rose with him and they both used their telekinetic power to raise the wood and assemble it into the framing that would be used in the first stages of the shipbuilding.

Aiden was a little lost. He couldn't fly or levitate objects so he was just hanging around here, all but useless. Well, it was better than being cooped up downstairs, so he kept any complaints to himself. He walked over to Remy and took Fallen's now empty spot on his side, opposite Logan. Wolverine still made him edgy and frustrated since he'd been incarcerated. They hadn't kissed and made up. He greeted Remy as Kimble had, a kiss on one cheek and a smile.

"You look 'appy," Remy said, bumping him with his shoulder. As much as Kimble had improved, so had Aiden as well. He'd been quiet and staying out of trouble.

"Quiet night."

That meant he hadn't dreamed badly and Remy smiled at him. "Where's Babette?"

"She not want to come up szo early," Aiden answered. "I will get 'er later, mebbe when she feel a leetle better, eh?"

"She still stuck on level six of dat new Tomb Raider game?" Remy asked playfully, seeing through the excuse.

Aiden laughed and nodded, caught. "She promise to finish early. Zen she come up."

Seth came out of the trailer office and startled when he saw Kimble and Fallen already at work. He was surprised to see them up in the air, using their powers. It had been so very long since they had been a real team, and well, Kimble hadn't had powers, not back then. It was a little strange, but in a good way. "Oh? Well, I guess that will make things easier," he mumbled awkwardly.

"Mornin', sunshine," Logan greeted. "Thought you were gonna be late for your own first building."

"I- I got a little hung up," Seth stammered nervously. He had just noticed Aiden there next to Remy and was a little uncomfortable after their awkward first greeting. He refused to be intimidated by the newcomer with such strong power, so he just plowed forward. He greeted Remy with a kiss on the cheek and a short laugh. As Seth leaned in to kiss him, he slipped a hand into one of Gambit's big coat pockets. When he withdrew, he had a small piece of candy in his hand. He was well aware of Remy's habit of carrying chocolate and wanted a sweet. Gambit just smiled at him, happy to please, saying nothing.

Seth bobbed his head in a polite hello to Aiden, but didn't touch him. Aiden watched him, smiled nice and easy, and was comfortably silent. His eyes were busy though, examining the young Siskan's shine and offering a gentle vibration of welcome to set Seth at ease.

Seth smiled at that, happy for it and now much more comfortable, walked off to where his Mistress and brother were working. A long table had been set up for him to lay out his plans and he headed that way. He carried a satchel of papers tucked under one arm and was awkwardly trying to open the wrapped morsel of chocolate he'd taken from Remy using his other hand and his teeth. He was naturally clumsy so such an endeavor was actually quite risky for him. He managed it just fine however, and lay his papers down at the table.

Wolverine watched all this with a look of puzzled amusement on his face. It told him a lot. Remy belonged to all of these people, the thief had embraced them and was firmly accepted by the entire group. Gambit approved of Kimble's being here and Aiden as well. Logan had no reason to be concerned. What was interesting was that moment of awkward space between Aiden and Seth. What was that all about? They were the only ones not to touch here at all. That meant something.

Logan was well aware of Seth's changes in behavior. They often worked closely together. Seth had been monumentally important in Logan's ability to gather information. Seth was a brilliant hacker and found whatever Logan was seeking. He had been given the highest Security clearance and Logan had come to trust him more than most folks living here. He had seen how Seth was growing more and more quiet — not that he was ever all that loud — and that brooding misery that was always there behind his eyes now. Wolverine wondered if he and Fallen were having troubles, but they always seemed fine when he saw them together.

"So how long is this gonna take anyways?" Wolverine asked Remy, just to say something.

"Coupla, t'ree weeks mebbe. 'Pends on de weather," the thief replied.

"Well, I gotta get some work done. Got some new folks in yesterday," Logan said and walked away. He glanced at Aiden as he passed. They locked eyes, but there was too much defiance in Aiden's own for his liking. Logan was sorely tempted to comment, that was plain, but the moment his mouth opened, his beeper went off. He clicked on his radio and walked off, taking the call.

"You boys still hot, I see," Gambit said to Aiden once Logan was out of range to hear.

Aiden snorted, giving his head a haughty toss. " 'E 'ad no right lockin' me up, aszkin' questionsz like Aiden szome kind of crim'nal, me. Aiden don' do not'ing nobody don' aszk for."

'_Cept mebbe you sockin' me in de eye. Well, Gambit's pretty forgiving, good t'ing._ "You gonna be okay out 'ere workin'?"

"You mean isz Aiden gonna hit szomebody t'day? I t'ink mebbe, non. Not in ze mood, me. Mebbe tomorrow, eh?" He didn't wait for a reply but walked off towards Fallen and Kimble, keeping his head down.

Remy moved away, his eyes on all the parties. He was a watcher of people, always had been. He was in the process of removing his coat -- he was growing a bit too warm for such a thing even this early -- but stopped when he saw a flash of concern cross Logan's face, the man hadn't wandered far when he had chatted on the radio. Wolverine glanced up, saw him looking and came closer. "Can you watch things here? I gotta take this call."

Absolument, mon ami. What's up?"

"One of the folks on patrol's gone missing. They want me to sniff it out, see if I can figure it out."

Remy smiled at him knowing this was Logan's specialty. "Go. Take yo' time. Ain't nuthin' gonna happen around 'ere."


	2. Chapter 2

(Two)

Logan stood outside the small cave, a scowl on his face. It hadn't taken him long to smell the blood and he had to steel his resolve before entering, he knew what probably waited for him inside wasn't going to be pretty.

The party Jennah had traveled with had put this as her last known location. She'd been missing for over an hour and he and his crew had been dispatched to find her. Three steps from the entrance of the small cave and poor Jennah's fate was no longer in doubt. Wolverine hadn't come alone, a small party of others had come along for protection since he was so far out of the protective grid of the Complex. This area was rural and barren, lots of places to hide without being noticed. If Jael had spies out here, it would be too easy to be ambushed. Rogue had flown him up here with Max and Jerry. All three were telekinetic and powerful enough to fight off just about anybody.

Rogue saw Wolverine's hesitation and crept a little closer. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Just keep back 'til I sniff this all out."

She retreated and he took a deep breath, moving forward and entering the cave. This was no simple accident or murder, he could see and smell that the blood loss here was far too significant. Another step and he had to swallow hard to keep his breakfast down. There was a body in here alright, but it wasn't anywhere near complete. At least half of it was gone.

Jennah's remains were spread out over the cave floor, her body lay supine, spread out all the easier for the butchery that had been done to it. The heaviest parts of her were gone, her thighs, upper arms, buttocks, and easily half of her internal organs. Her skull had been carefully cut open from the top, neatly as if in an autopsy, revealing that her brain had also been removed. Her hair and scalp lay in a tangled mess off to one side, whomever had done this had been callus, not seeing her as a person. Only as something to be used. There was no sensitivity here, it was the way an animal would hunt.

Logan automatically shifted into the gears of a predator, looking about for animal tracks. He was only covering all bases, it was near impossible that an animal did this, there wasn't anything large enough out here for this kind of destruction. There were some scattered coyote packs in the area, but they had never been bold enough to attack humans. Besides that, Jennah was a telekinetic and more than capable of defending herself.

Maybe she had been incapacitated somehow, but another sniff told him she had not been drugged. There was no chemical smell, no strange affects in the blood. No animals, no drugs. What the hell was this? He could smell no other presence here besides what was left of Jennah.

Check that. He cocked his head when he saw one small smudged footprint in the dust of the cave floor. It was human and unshod, he could see the toe prints clearly, yet he had noticed that Jennah still had her boots on. They didn't appear to have been removed and replaced, either. Someone else had been here. Someone human.

Logan rose and looked over the scene once more. Her pack was gone, but he could see a small pile of her things -- a brush, a bottle of water, her lunch. The blood pattern from the remains was also telling. He could see the arterial gush against one wall from where her throat had been cut. But beyond that, the blood was pooled in a strange circle as though something had controlled the flow of it, keeping it neat, or as neat as could be done from such a slaughter. The parts of her that were gone were such as he would take from a kill himself had she been a deer. She had been murdered yes, but also harvested.

If he hadn't known Creed was locked up, he'd of thought Sabretooth had done this.

"What do ya think, boss?" Rogue asked from the cave's edge, her Mississippi drawl masking some of her fear. "Is it Jael?"

Wolverine shook his head. "Not unless he's got an appetite fer human flesh."

Rogue swallowed. She was a tough girl and was doing all right so far, but the thought of this girl having been eaten teetered her towards the edge. "Is her stuff still here?"

"No. Her pack is gone. Whoever cut her up took it, probably used it to haul the meat away. I can see some of her things there where he dumped it out."

Rogue dared to take another step. "What about her badge?"

Logan pawed through the pile. "No. It's gone."

"So it is Jael? Ah mean, he would need a badge to get inside."

Wolverine frowned. "I suppose it's possible he coulda sent out some scouts 're somethin', but there just ain't no tracks. I got one footprint here, that's it. No other scents. Whoever was here had no scent or could mask it somehow."

"Maybe he did it to throw you off. Made this look like animals so we wouldn't know they was around."

Logan considered that, but then shook his head. "Look at the way her head was cut open, like a surgeon would do it. No animal cuts open a head, they would smash it. That wasn't covered up, it was like who done it just didn't care if we knew she was murdered or not."

"Either way, we have to report this and quickly."

Wolverine nodded, rising. He reached for his radio and started to call it in.

-------------------------------

Charles Xavier sat at his desk, drinking his morning coffee while he quickly scanned the report Logan had filed on Jennah's murder. Wolverine was fast, he'd typed this up only minutes after his return to the Complex and faxed it right up. Of course the report was only preliminary, the investigation had only just begun. Charles couldn't help but scowl in irritation. This was something unexpected, something that didn't quite fit into the scheme of things. What did it mean?

Of course there were many explanations, not the least of which could be that a serial killer existed within the walls of the Complex itself. They had taken in so many refugees and it was unlikely that Sabertooth was the only criminal they had let slip inside. Another topic of discussion for that morning's meeting, only a few minutes away.

He was about to reach for his cup again when the alarms went off, Code Orange.

Charles had upgraded the security and alarm systems of the Complex after the schools had been attacked, wanting some kind of warning system in place. A Code Red would mean a direct attack on this facility, an Orange meant some kind of outside attack or event had taken place offsite, one warranting caution here.

Charles buzzed Warren on the intercom. "What's going on, Angel?"

"Jael has attacked the White House, sir! And the SHIELD Headquarters building as well!"

"The fool!" Charles snapped and rang off, heading for the nearby conference room as was expected of him in any Code alarm. He wasn't alone, his senior staff was moving along with him, all gathering to hear more bad news.

-------------------

Remy had the door to the stairwell open, counting folks as they streamed by him down into the lower level. The moment the alarm sounded, it became his responsibility to see to it that the Dragon2 construction site was evacuated. He was praying fervently that this was just a drill, only one of many the Professor had promised in the days to come. Irritating that it had come only a couple of hours since they had begun work on the site.

He touched the people as they passed, watching and counting at the same time. Kimble and Aiden had been the first ones down, he had seen to it personally, shoving his charges almost rudely down the stairs. He knew they lingered in the hallway below, not quite sure what was expected of them even though they had been told where to go. The last man was finally down and Gambit followed, moving Kimble and Aiden along down the corridor now. "Let's go, kids. No time!"

"What's goin' on?" Kimble protested. He had been instructed like everyone else and knew that the Code Orange meant his Angel was safe, no one was coming here, at least not just yet.

"No idea, cher. Maybe jus' a drill. Gotta get you guys 'ome first, den I'll find out. I'll let you guys know as soon as I do, d'accorde?"

The two Siskans could only nod and be moved along. They stopped outside of Aiden's door, meeting Babette's door guard there. It was John, one of Logan's guys. He saw Remy coming and shouted, "Jael's taken out the White House!" He'd heard the news over his tiny radio and was agitated and nervous, quick to talk about it.

_So much for a drill, but better de President dan us._ _Anyt'ing dat keeps Jael away,_ Remy thought to himself before he could stop himself. It wasn't very nice or politically correct, but he couldn't help it. Nothing had frightened him more than when that alarm had gone off. It was only a matter of time before Jael came for real and anytime that stupid alarm went off, it was going to rattle him.

Gambit said nothing aloud, he had to go. "Keep an eye on dese guys," he ordered to John, shoving Kimble and Aiden inside the door.

"Wait!" Kimble protested, snatching at him with trembling white hands. "Stay with us!"

"I gotta go, gotta go to de meeting," Remy protested. He shivered off a vibration of comfort and gave Kimble a quick kiss on the cheek. "Look after Aiden, eh? Keep 'im safe," he charged, knowing it was more likely to be the other way around. Kimble released him and he took off at a jog, heading for the conference room.

The meeting was already underway when he arrived. Again the large viewing screen was on, showing muted television coverage of the event. Both the White House and SHIELD Headquarters had been hit, both buildings demolished. It wasn't without cost, there was also footage of what looked like one of Jael's great ships being shot down by SHIELD aircraft and forced to crash in a fiery explosion that was loud and destructive. Remy couldn't help an internal, _Serves you right, you bastard_, though it was obvious that some of Jael's men had to have perished. The footage was running nonstop, but the meeting was progressing without it.

"We have to go get our own people!" someone was shouting. "SHIELD has them! It's not safe!"

Gambit took up a space in the back, the only room left available to him. He understood the protest was in regard to those Nick Fury had taken from Henry's crew in Westchester, the X-men being held hostage against those SHIELD prisoners Fury had felt Charles had absconded with.

"The SHIELD jail itself wasn't damaged," Warren countered to the challenger. "It's deep underground where Jael can never reach. Our people are safe. We have to keep everyone here, we don't know where Jael is going next."

"Is this place strong enough to defend against that? He destroyed the White House for Pete's sake!" another man cried out. It was Jacob Primer, a weaker mutant, one who had every right to be scared.

"Jacob, please!" Charles complained, trying to keep order. "I suspect that Jael took offense to our dear President's last address to the nation. He wanted to make a point. The shield generators we have are far more powerful than anything the White House may have had. As sad as it is, we have better defenses than most diplomats and dignitaries in this country. Jael cannot do to us what was done there, I promise. Plus we also have the advantage of knowing that he's heading this way eventually, the President had no such warning."

"And why hasn't he come here yet if that is his plan?"

Charles frowned. "According to the news footage, Jael's strike cost him. One of his ships was shot down, another badly damaged. We know he has at least two of these craft because of the strikes against us, perhaps half his fleet is now gone. Either way, it will take him time to recover. In the meantime, our government will be tracking him as best they can and giving him trouble. Any delay for Jael will be to our advantage."

"Are they going to set up the Registration Act?" someone threw out.

"What about the camps?' another man asked. The hysteria was rising.

Charles raised his hand. "People, please. That Registration Act will never affect you, not so long as you are under my protection, of that you can be assured. Our concern is not the government or SHIELD, it's Jael. He must be dealt with."

"Why does he want us? He attacked the schools and he kept coming after us all the time."

"Some of that is classified ---" the Professor raised his hand against a flurry of protests. "So I will let you know this much. We have something he wants, something he needs to complete his plan of world domination."

Kimble's personal information had been kept quiet from the majority of Xavier's teams and students, only Kimble's direct circle of friends knew that he was the target of Jael's plans. On the other hand, Charles wanted to keep everyone informed of the danger so he was trying to put all of this into a context they could all understand. Today's actions were part of the Game and yet beyond it, Jael wanted more than just Kimble. He wanted the whole planet for himself.

"Is it a weapon?"

Charles considered his answer. "It's a person and weapon both, someone who must be protected at all costs, the same as you would defend anyone here with your very life. I won't reveal this person's identity, it simply isn't safe. Just be assured we are doing whatever we have to make sure Jael never gets this person. Jael's goal is world domination and that cannot be allowed."

"Can he really do it if he has this weapon?"

"We honestly don't know. It is best that he is never given the chance. Understand that most of the work the X-men do is done this way, protecting the world's interests, not for glory, but for our own survival."

"But we don't know where Jael is. How can we fight him?"

"No, we don't know where he is exactly, but we know where he will be. In the meantime, while Jael is content to play his foolish games, we have to prepare for his arrival here. We must win this, we must! It is the only way to finish him once and for all."

Logan growled. "So you intend to finish this? To take it all the way?"

The Professor hesitated. "You know I have never sanctioned murder for any reason. What is imperative is that Jael be captured, by any means necessary."

Wolverine grinned his wolfish toothy smile, happy to interpret that any way he wished. "Fine by me, Chuck. I'll see that done."

There was a shuffle as someone came forward. It was Julian, a telekinetic and the leader of the Hellions team, a newly assembled group of young go getters. "We've been training for weeks and we're ready, Charles. Send us out, just give us the word."

Logan shook his head and raised his hand, ready to answer this before Charles could. He was very concerned about Jennah's murder, it was troubling and hadn't been explained. He had an idea there was more going on out just outside the Complex there than they knew. "It's too big a risk, spreading ourselves too thin. Jael'll pick us off one by one if he gets the chance."

"Oh, please!" Julian snorted. He was powerful, but still quite young himself. His reply had all the arrogance and inexperience of his youth. "Just because you 'old guys' on the Senior team aren't as on the ball as you used to be, doesn't mean the rest of us can't hold our own. Jael can't touch us."

There was some scattered laughter at that, but Logan wasn't budging. His skin was as thick as it comes, he merely let that remark slide off. He crossed his arms with the smug smile of real authority and said, "Yer stayin' put. On the other hand, since yer such an eager beaver an' all, your group can pull double duty on Security outside."

There was a complaint and someone gave Julian a shove in protest. No one was real eager to spend their whole day outside in the heat with the rocks.

"Does this mean we're not going to send out assistance to the White House and SHIELD?" someone else asked, not exactly changing the subject, but moving on to something more sensible.

Charles shook his head. "I think this time, no. It pains me deeply, but I will have no more of my people offered up as hostages. Though the buildings were demolished, the President and Nick Fury are safe. I think the people outside can handle this one on their own for now. I want everyone here. It is imperative that we stock up on supplies and get as many people trained as possible. That is all for now," the Professor concluded, dismissing the crowd.

The gathering dispersed and filtered out the exists, but some remained behind. Logan and Warren lingered, watching Remy as he came closer from the back of the room. Charles was speaking, having a few last things to say to Logan and Warren in private, away from the general public. "I want all available resources placed on Seth's project. I feel we will have need of any and all craft he has the will to construct. I'm giving Kimble and Aiden unlimited access to the site, they can work all night if needs be to see this done."

"Professor!" Wolverine protested, clenching his fists.

Charles was firm on this. "No. This will be done. They do not need sleep as we do, they are up all night anyway. Let them work with Seth and Fallen. Guards will be in place."

"Gambit will take care of dem," Remy promised happily, his voice firm. "Dere ain't gonna be nuthin' to worry about."

Logan just glared at him and did not believe. He snorted in frustration and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

------------------

Butch Madison had hardly settled into his hotel suite when the news about Jael's strike came over the television.

The leader of the Outkasts and his prerequisite entourage had taken their time in arriving here in Newton, a small yet classy suburb not far from the Industrial park where Charles had purchased his Complex. They had taken rooms in the top executive suite of the nearby Hilton, had booked the whole floor for privacy. This was only temporary of course, already he was looking into leasing a building for his own use.

Cheeree was along, of course, dressed in fine clothes and well cared for. This suite had a full kitchen and he sent her along, asking for coffee, fresh and lots of it. She had rushed to comply, always eager to please.

Cheeree had fared well under Butch's care. She had been taken out shopping and had more clothes than she could ever want. He lavished jewelry and toys on her, anything she wished. She was easy to entertain, something that made her care easy for him. Like Babette, Cheeree had her gaming console to occupy her while Butch was busy and other toys. She was happy and thriving, something she was happy to reciprocate to her new Master, spoiling him rotten and serving his every whim. They were both happy, both enjoying themselves very much.

Back in their hotel room, Butch had switched on the television, always a news junkie, and was shocked to see the news reports. The events in Washington D.C. had just happened and the details were still sketchy, but he was patient. So Jael had responded to the President's threat. Of course Butch himself had thought to take action, but had decided to wait until he was settled in here. The wheels of Washington grind slowly and the Registration Act had not yet been ratified. Well, if Jael was going to act, fine. Let the fool blunder about. It would only give Butch more time to set up and investigate what Charles had going on.

Butch had sent out a crew to Arizona long before he himself had arrived and they were setting up shop in a large warehouse close to the Industrial Park where the Xavier Complex was located. Unlike Jael, Butch knew exactly where Charles was located, his spies were that good. Butch wasn't so stupid as to enter the park proper, he was aware the Charles had purchased most of the buildings there and was working on acquiring the rest. Butch had no problem with Xavier and though things looked like they might be coming to a head, it was Jael Butch wanted, not the X-men.

Butch was also aware of course that Jael was camping out nearby, only out in the desert. The idiot clearly had no clue where Charles was precisely and that was just fine with Butch for now. The fool could stumble about in the sand for all he cared.

Butch favored energy producers in his crew, but had his share of psychics and seers so he was kept up to date on what was going on in this area fairly easily. Jael was close, building up his ranks. Of course those ranks had been somewhat depleted by that last attack, Butch was pleased to note. Dumb bastard, sacrificing one of his ships like that. Stupid. Incredibly stupid.

Well, Butch would take it, it bought him more time to prepare. Given enough time, he figured he might even be able to taunt the man into exposing himself. Jael had a weakness -- he was simply in love with himself and his own press coverage. How did Butch know this? Well, if he could get one spy into Jael's camp, he could get another. Terrel had not been alone, not by a long shot. Butch was wise and careful. His spies were independent, none knowing the other. This way they couldn't give each other up. Butch was no fool. It was the best way to keep tabs on his elusive prey.

Butch was planning to drop in on Jael's little party, you see. Yeah, he was going to make sure that fool got the surprise of his life. Not that that would be hard, not with Jael being so reckless and stupid. Butch was consolidating his forces, calling in all of his teleporters and mules to this area. This was going to be one fine ride if he did say so himself. Jael was going to pay dearly for what he had done to Cheeree's kin.

Actually, Butch's plans for revenge involved more than simple retribution for the Siskans, all of this ruckus was very disruptive. Already some of Butch's favorite stocks were falling and that simply wouldn't do. The chaos was growing in the outside world. There were reports trickling in of sporadic violence on both sides of the human/mutant debate and that was sure to escalate. There were riots and murders, people burning churches and homes, hospitals that supported mutant care were being attacked. SHIELD was quite busy, scrambling to keep the peace. This was fine with Butch, he wanted to keep SHIELD out of this. The busier they were, the better.

Butch jumped when his cell phone went off. This was a special phone he'd had one of his techno junkies modify. Though not a land line, it was secure enough that he could speak freely. By the ring alone he could tell he was getting a message from his spy in Xavier's camp. What spectacular timing.

"Speak," he grunted in greeting.

"You've seen the news?" came the voice of his spy. It was silky and soft, female.

"Yeah, just turned it on. What's happening there?"

"They're beefing up security and gathering more arms. There are more drills and training sessions planned. Meetings all day long. There is little else Charles can do, he is already well prepared for Jael."

"But he is still outnumbered."

"Yes, unfortunately. All we can hope for is that Jael was hurt by losing one of his ships and that Charles can use the time to make up for his weakness in power and defense. He is also building some kind of transport craft outside. No one is certain what it is for, only that he insisted it be finished quickly. Maybe it will have weapons."

Butch nodded. "Good. Keep me informed if anything changes."

"Later."

"Bye." Butch closed his phone and returned to the news.

"Everything okay, Master?" Cheeree asked, her voice silky in his ear.

Butch couldn't help but smile at the sound of it. "Yes, my love. Just fine."

------------------------

Razel paced in his fury, hardly able to keep silent. His Master sat in a large chair, his cat's eyes gleaming as he watched the news coverage on a large screen monitor. There was a smile there, one that bordered on greed. Razel almost groaned out loud at the sight of it.

Jael had weaknesses, the same as any great leader, and his was vanity. Nothing excited the man more than watching the news and hearing his name spoken over and over again. Everyone knew he had done this, he had called several news agencies only moments after, claiming responsibility. Now all the world could see what he had done. It was the same after New York and again after he'd destroyed the Xavier schools. Jael simply loved being on the news, it was an addiction, one powerful enough to lure him away from his duties. One Razel didn't quite know how to fight.

It had caused them misery in the past. Jael would blow up something spectacular and then be so engrossed in the coverage, he missed the retaliation and was less than effective in defending himself. They had suffered losses because of it but the man never seemed fazed by it. He'd send his recruiters out to find more alphas for his army and simply move on. It was a disastrous way to run an army and Razel knew it. He couldn't leave his nails alone, he couldn't stop pacing in his agitation.

Jael's gaze flickered at his Second as the teleporter moved about so restlessly. The terrorist leader was sitting comfortably in his chair, the Shalayesk armor gleaming against his furry skin. The armor could no longer be removed but he didn't mind in the least, it made him feel safe. Confident. It almost seemed to whisper to him, telling him of his greatness and superiority. He never felt more confident and invulnerable than he did now. Of course it was a bit harder to feel so grand with his Second pacing behind him like a caged beast. Jael grunted at him, "Fine, then. Spit it out if you cannot restrain yourself."

Razel was quick to answer, speaking as boldly as he could. The Master had listened to him in the past, he must listen to him now. "Why did you have to strike the President himself, Master? Can't you see what it's cost us? If only you had waited until we dealt with Xavier. You'd have all the Siskans and we would have been invincible. Now the Crusader is lost and the Hellion damaged. We needed those ships to take Xavier. What will we do now?"

Jael was indulgent, being very fond of Razel in spite of the man's impatience. As much as he fancied the idea of completing the Game, he was arrogant enough to think he could defeat Xavier on his own without the Shalayesk machine. The machine would just make the victory that much sweeter. "There is all the time in the world to go after the X-men, Razel. They are pathetic and weak. They have no chance. It matters not if we go tomorrow or next year. We will prevail."

"I do not agree and further, how can you be so certain? Every moment we delay makes them stronger. Every time you divert your attention, they grow more powerful. Let's finish this, Master, while we still can!" Razel insisted, beating one hand into the other, upset beyond words.

Jael watched this, nonplused. "The Hellion will be here by tomorrow, limping along as she is. There is no way she can be tracked. We have the means to repair her. There is no reason for you to fear. We will strike, but not until I am ready, understood?"

"But, sir?"

Jael turned and looked at him. "What is it you do not understand, my friend? Do you really think we need Xavier's pets to finish this? Oh, no. We are powerful enough on our own. Besides, Charles will send out his peacekeepers to aid the White House and SHIELD and be all the weaker. You'll see. This is only the beginning."

Razel knew that tone. It meant there would be no further discussion of this. "As you wish, my Lord," he replied in submission and left. Like everyone else he would have to simply wait and see what was going to happen next. All he could do was pray that Jael knew what he was doing.


	3. Chapter 3

(Three)

Later that night, Remy once more found himself in front of a glowing computer screen, trying to catch up on Aiden's diary. The day had been traumatic at best, boring at its worst. The meetings had been endless, filled with arguments and planning. He had never had the greatest attention span and more than once found himself nodding off. The disaster seemed remote and far away from what he truly cared about.

Once freed, he remedied that by checking in with all of his various charges. Seth was with his Mistress and Kimble with his new friends, passed out from another deep round of play with both of them. Remy knew Aiden was using sex to keep Kimble calm and quite frankly, he couldn't come up with any argument against it. Babette was asleep as well, her shine glimmering with happiness, something Remy was all too happy to see.

Onward home the good thief did go and there he found his wife and Angel, curled up in front of the TV with their own brand of contentedness keeping them calm. Molly refused to have the news on and didn't ask Remy about any of it. They watched a movie, had supper and went on with their lives, trying to keep things as normal as possible.

Once Angel was asleep in her bed, Gambit was back to work in a new way, going through the next batch of files that Seth had sent him. He couldn't help but be captivated by Aiden's tale in spite of all the poor Siskan's troubles. There was so much he wanted to learn, so much that he had to learn. Aiden wasn't one to talk, but the boy could write well enough, giving up what Remy so desperately needed to know. The Dreamer was explaining,

_What can I say of being a gladiator? I have been many things but one thing has been constant, I am a survivor. Krishnak was no different. He took over and pretty much stayed for good. He fought well, growing to love the sounds of the crowds. All Siskans crave attention, it is in our nature, and so it was for Krishnak in his way. He learned that the longer the fight would last, the greater the exultation of the crowd and thus the greater his reward. He was empathic and so fed off of their vibrations of gleeful mayhem. He danced, making his fights graceful and beautiful as only they could be in this savage place. _

_Time passed. It is not my wish to record every adventure that befell Krishnak nor glorify what he had become. He fought many fights and he almost always won. In the few times he was defeated, his enemy soon perished of the wounds sustained in that battle, so did he really lose?_

_Krishnak remained in power of the body for a great many years. He always saw the ghosts of us and our number grew every time he was thrown down and terribly hurt by those who might have won for the moment. I was there somewhere in the dim fog of memory. I know this because I can recall the dirt of the arena, the smell and taste of coppery red blood as it bathed our body._

_Krishnak was the type of Siskan who rarely slept and so seldom dreamed. It was not here that the premonitions began for me, for us. That was later, but I was there in the crowd of ghosts, waiting._

_Eventually enough years went by that Krishnak passed hands, moving from one Master to another. The Muzla do not live for long, not as long as a Siskan hologram who can be repaired so easily. Money was exchanged and we moved from ring to ring, fight to fight, always making money for whomever owned us at the time. The years sped by in a blur of battles and gore, an endless daily grind of death and mayhem. _

_A full fifty years or more had passed when the change happened. One cannot predict events or see how the simplest thing will affect us. It just happens and wow, there it is, reality interrupted. We were living with Greedock, a Muzla Master who owned many fighters. What was significant was that he favored Siskans whenever he could get his hands on them._

_We had been with Greedock for well over a month and had established our rank early in the status quo of his pens. With each new place, Krishnak had to reassert his dominance so he would not be jumped and raped. It never took long, and Greedock, like those before him, lost at least two or more fighters from his stable on Krishnak's first day because of it. Krishnak was without mercy when he sought to stake his claim -- it was all savage and a bloodletting on a greater scale than most of the arena fights themselves. Any fighter who came to him with sexual intention was repulsed or killed outright if they were too thick to understand this was one battle they would not win. _

_We were well established and left alone when another Siskan was added to the group, a female. Krishnak hadn't really been prepared for her appearance, the Siskans were still so very rare in the great big world, and he hadn't realized just yet how prized they were as fighters. This newcomer wasn't Marked, she wasn't part of the Game. She was simply a Lushna-esk that ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her name was Tillamay._

_Even now when I think of her, I still feel the pain. She was stronger than Krishnak was in a way -- the Masters had tried to break her and yet, still she remained one person. They hadn't dared to melt her more than once of course as they had done to us, she did not possess the special codes as we did and she would have been destroyed. They wanted her to take the plasma from the sun and the single melting was enough to make that possible. _

_She was tall and lithe, a handsome redhead with sparkling blue eyes. She walked high and straight, first because she had been trained to do so by those who owned her previously, and then later as a means to intimidate the men of the packs. She was bigger than they were in height if not build. Most of the females of the pens adopted this trait, it was safer to meet the men in the eyes, to look away would be a sign of weakness._

_Gender was not relevant in the Games. If you could hold your own in a fight, you were fair game to the slavers. There had been many females before her and many more would came after. Her former owner had lost her in gambling and now here she was, just another one of us. Females were always entertaining, even if they succumbed faster than the men. The Muzla cared not, there were always the packs to watch, having their sport with them. _

_Tillamay was not stupid. She knew she was vulnerable here on her own. Her best defense was to find the strongest male and use him as protection from the packs. It took her only a moment to find Krishnak sitting alone in his corner, unmolested by the others around him. She was startled to see he was a Siskan as she was and it only gave her hope. She strode right over, knelt down and raised her breasts at him, her head back, exposing her throat. She spoke no words, she didn't have to, they were both Lushna-esk._

_Krishnak did not behave as she had expected. He rudely ignored her, seeing her only as a disturbance and an unnecessary complication. For this I have only regrets though it was Krishnak in control and not myself. What could I have done? I was barely there, not even strong enough to be more than just a simple, voiceless ghost. _

_It took only moments for Tillamay's rejection by Krishnak to be noted by the packs. She was grasped by the others and torn away, thrust into the middle of a hungry, lustful pack. The decision not to help her in that moment was final -- once she was taken, it was impossible for Krishnak to rescue her. To fight these men one at a time was one thing, there was no way he could take her like meat from a pack of snarling, starving dogs. They had at her and all he could do was listen._

_He thought he could shut it out like he had all the other times a penmate had been abused, but he was sadly mistaken. It was horrible and humbling, listening to another of our kind be tortured and abused like that. The longer the abuse lasted, the harder it was for Krishnak to bear. The guilt and pain was soon horrible for Krishnak, worse than the beating he had taken from his fights that day. It awoke feelings in him he had long denied, dangerous things that threatened to bring up old memories of a better place than this, of a better life. Even Krishnak's stony heart wasn't immune and he turned to the wall, hiding his tears, at the same time vowing for it to never happen again._

_The next morning came late. Krishnak was exhausted from lack of sleep and upset from the night's events. He could take no food, couldn't even stand the sight of it. As the sun rose, he was urged on by Father to look for Tillamay, in the hopes that maybe there might be some chance to recover her, but she was nowhere in sight. The pen he was being held in was a good sized room and there were many of us fighters. Before long, it was time to be moved for the fights. Once in line, Krishnak caught a glimpse of her and he was relieved to see that she was still alive. She was bloodied and bruised, yet there was a ring of spirit to her shine. She wasn't broken, not just yet._

_Krishnak made it through his fights that day, some of his usual flair gone due to tiredness, and for a while he was able to forget her. It was only as he was returned to the pens for the night that he caught sight of Tillamay again. She was a little more bruised and battered than when she had first come, but she had survived her fights as well, something that called to his own powerful spirit. They were the same, she and him. Her shine was sparkly bright, she had taken some recovery from the sun as he did. Her fights must have been brutal yet still she lived._

_Once in the pens, Krishnak wasted no time in making his claim, once more urged on by Father. Father saw something in her that he deemed worthy or he wouldn't have pressed his case so badly. The packs had already started to circle the girl once more, looking for seconds, but Krishnak came up fast, grabbed her roughly and dragged her back to our corner without ceremony. He tossed her down and stood tall over her, facing the others. "You want a piecze of disz, eh? Zen come!"_

_No one moved, they were too surprised. What a shock to hear Krishnak speak, not once had he uttered a word to anyone. There was some distant grumbling in the back as the pack debated whether or not to take Krishnak on, he was still new enough to be an unknown, but everyone had seen him fight. There would be no easy battle here, no clear victory for them. _

_Krishnak waited, knowing that they would back down. The fact was, as bad as it had been for him to listen to her torture last night, the pack leaders had had their taste of her. It was actually easier for Krishnak to defend her now since she had already been taken. _

_The others backed off and finally left Krishnak and his prize alone. _

_My skill with people is bad, I admit it freely, and I know where it comes from. It's an inheritance from Krishnak, a primary component of the blended personality that is me at present. He was simply horrible at communicating on a level beyond threatening or challenging others, something that affects me even now. I am a belligerent, arrogant fool, but look at what I am made of. Gladiators? Angry feral monsters? Father? One must have some sympathy for me, how could you not forgive me?_

_But I digress..._

_Even though Krishnak had claimed Tillamay for himself, he had no desire to speak with her. He simply thrust his bowl of water at her and pushed her deeper into the corner, shielding her with his body, asserting his dominance to the pack, daring them to try and take her._

_Tillamay was a talented Lushna-esk. She could sense Krishnak was little better than feral from years of fighting and hardship. Happy to be left alone by the packs, she didn't fight her new situation. This was far better than being raped and beaten, she would suffer with his silence. Perhaps in time, this one would weaken to her and then they could get to know each other better. She drank her water, washed as best she could and was patient. It was later in the night, when all was still that she dared to touch him, the warrior Krishnak. It was simple, nothing more than merely sliding her arms around him for warmth when the night was at its darkest and coldest._

_Poor Krishnak was not prepared for how much that simple touch meant. It came without demands, came without pain. Just a tender embrace, a laying of his head against her higher shoulder. A shiver of arousal rocked through him, warm animals friendly, but it would not be acted upon, it was a simple reaction to the warmth. She seemed not to notice or care, she simply held him closer and brushed his hair with a long slender hand. No words passed, just a small communication of mutual need for one another. At that moment she knew him better than any other._

_Tillamay was quite patient with us, the dear girl. She understood that Krishnak was feral and broken, I think she even understood that Krishnak saw ghosts. He would mutter out loud to no one she could see at times and she accepted it without complaints or questions. It didn't mean she didn't have a goal in mind -- she tried to get Krishnak to speak to her, doing it slowly and with great care. He responded to her touch, she had felt that, and so thought to wake his inner Siskan self by gently whispering to him in the night. They lay tightly together and she would brush her lips against his ear, speaking to him softly of the things she knew._

_She whispered to Krishnak that she, too, had been made by the great Siskan Master Quishnalay. It had been years after Talalanay had been tossed aside, but she confessed that Quishnalay still spoke of him, the one he should never had let go. These whispers did not rouse any emotion in Krishnak Any love for Quishnalay that remained had been squashed years ago, drowned in blood and suffering. _

_Tillamay was still young when the Dognan came to Siska and routed them out. All the Siskans had been destroyed and their Courtesans taken. She was there when Quishnalay himself was dragged out into the garden and slaughtered, his blood feeding the roses there. Krishnak couldn't help but react to that, there was the unmistakable gleam of satisfaction in his shine. So Quishnalay had met a fitting end, murdered by those he had so graciously helped with the Game. How very just. Krishnak couldn't stop himself from stroking her hair, pleased by his imaginings of that fateful bloodletting. _

_Tillamay was pleased, she had reached something inside of her protector. She understood his pain, she was Lushna-esk, so of course she saw it. She also understood that a deep rooted loneliness and desire to be with one of our own had driven Krishnak to take finally her in. Yes, even myself, the solitary Dreamer has that weakness. I do not relish my time alone, not always. I withdraw because I do not understand people and what they do. I withdraw to protect myself from the pain and suffering that comes with having friends, lovers, a family. But yet, there are those who have enough character to draw me out. _

_Like you, dearest Kimble, Tillamay was one of these. _

_They found themselves a daily routine, Krishnak and Tillamay. They fought in the day and came back to their corner as if it were home. They did not speak or compare battles. They simply sat and shared their food and water, then curled up to sleep tangled in one another. Perhaps if one or the other was damaged more severely, they might touch and rub to soothe the hurts, but that was all. If one of the other was aroused by the heat and touch, it was ignored as a Siskan reaction to the company. To act on it was unthinkable. _

_Well, at least it was for Krishnak. _

_It was days before the inevitable happened. The collective parts of the boy that had once been Talalanay fought it for as long as they could, but it was a battle they would lose. A large and noisy storm had come, one loud enough to be felt inside the fighters' stone house -- the crashing of thunder and the trickle of dampness that came from a deep heavy rain outside. I have never enjoyed the sound of thunder, even to this day it frightens me. Krishnak shivered, doing his manly best to hide this, but Tillamay was not so easily fooled._

_It was late and the pens dark. They two of them were against the wall on their sleeping mats, Tillamay's back propped up to the wall with Krishnak's heavier body between her knees as usual. This way they were as close as possible, all the better to keep warm. The heat of their bodies together was a pleasure in and of itself and as usual it had aroused us, the selves of Talalanay. One loud crack of thunder, a deep shiver of fear, and Tillamay pulled Krishnak that much closer, turning him around to face her. He didn't fight it, he no longer did when she wanted this closeness, and they sat chest to breast, his chin on her shoulder and their legs wrapped around one another, so warm and friendly. There came another crack of thunder and Krishnak jerked from the noise of it, grasping her that much tighter. _

"_Don't be afraid," she whispered to him in Siskan, soft and low so no one would hear. Most of the fighters were awake this night, it was impossible to sleep with all the racket._

_Krishnak would not acknowledge her words. In this room full of violent killers, he wasn't about to admit to any fear or weakness. His reactions to the thunder he'd covered up beautifully as only a Siskan could. If anyone questioned what this looked like, it would seem that he was comforting his female companion, though it was really the other way around. But he could not hide this from her. Not from Tillamay who was so very near._

"_Come closer, my fine protector," came the soft breeze of her breath against his ear._

_Impossible, they were already pressed so tightly, but then she slid one hand between them, lightly grasping the part of him that come awake from the shared heat of their bodies. He questioned her with a soft grunt, but her only answer was a quick fumble with their skimpy garments, freeing him. The gladiators wore simple briefs, so easy to pull aside for what she wanted. One shift of her hips told him her desire and the Courtesan in him acted automatically, lifting her bottom with his hands and plunging into her._

_This was done without thought, an instinct born from countless files on sexual exercise. This position, while not traditional, was very warm and intimate, and easy enough for two such talented creatures to take advantage of. Krishnak's whimper of sudden joy and excitement was silent to the pen, but deafening to her._

_Not once since he had come to be with Muzla had Krishnak indulged in sex for pleasure. With him it had always been rape, the use of his body for another. He did not participate in the pack behavior of rape on others though he did nothing to stop it from happening. Instead he carved out his little space in the world, this little corner with the window, with his fists and his cruelty, no other way. To rape is **Chuckfet,** a practice he nor any other of us has never desired to do. In the pens like this, Krishnak was too feral, too much the fighter to desire the intimacy for which he had been created. In all the time Krishnak possessed her, not once had he used Tillamay for sex, something perplexing to the other fighters. Why would he claim such a pretty woman for himself only not touse her? Well the others were watching now, finding some entertainment where the storm had failed._

_Krishnak started to growl possessively, looking at them as they watched._

"_Shh..." Tillamay soothed and turned his head to her other shoulder, making him face the wall. "Don't look at them, my love. They will not fight you, they are not that stupid. They are merely jealous, nothing more. They see what they do not understand."_

_Krishnak closed his eyes and forgot them, soothed by her vibrations of want and need, of her love. Now, inside the body of his Siskan sister, Krishnak's body shook, feeling a joy and exhilaration long since denied. It was one of the singular most erotic moments of our long life. _

_Their coupling was brief but intensely passionate, it had been a long time for both of them, sex for pleasure like this. She was Lushna-esk and his body knew it, drinking up her Kundatesh like a bone dry sponge. When they finished it, they shuddered together as one. Her vibrations came into him, a flash of Kundatesh that rocked his world, reminding him so much of Sharak, his first Siskan lover and the one who had eased him through the trial of **Shemusk.** Into his arms she fell and he held her tighter than he had ever done before, admitting finally that his stupid battle against his own nature had been lost, and willingly. The long celibacy of Krishnak was over._

_The change in Krishnak was profound. He fought with renewed vigor the next day, walked taller and straighter. As time passed, his only goal was to endure the blood drenched days so he could return to her, our Tillamay. He had never known such happiness, or at least it seemed so after so many years of a great blank nothing. They would laugh softly, touching, and then grow ever bolder in their coupling as Krishnak's shyness in the pens evaporated. The nights were filled with passion, blotting out the madness they endured during the day._

_The Master, Greedock, watched this with amusement at first, loving the sight of their coupling. He would stand outside bars, smoking or easing back with a drink, observing the entertainment provided with a gleam in his eye. _

_Nothing was private in the pens for long, the pens were little more than large cages or holding cells in a stone building. The Muzla walked freely, safe from their own slaves behind the iron bars. They watched us eat and sleep, watched us fight and of course, rape one another. On a good night, they might even take bets on the losers, the pathetic **Chuckfet** assholes they were. The Muzla were fascinated by our violence, it's what fed the games and made them rich. They were especially fond of watching the two Siskans at play, at how skillfully they made love and with increasing tenderness for one another._

_Yet over time, Greedock saw that Krishnak was losing some of his desire for battle, that he was losing his taste for it. Krishnak's bouts grew more and more brief, the Siskan simply wanted them over with so he could win and be returned to the pens. In other words, fucking Tillamay had become his new priority._

_To inspire his possession to regain some of his former ferocity, Greedock had Krishnak whipped for no apparent reason. He simply dragged the Siskan out into the ring, tied him to a center pole and flogged him himself, enjoying this for his own twisted reasons. The lashing was not severe, Greedock wasn't so stupid as to wound his best fighter too seriously, just a few lashes to get him motivated._

_Krishnak took it personally of course, how could he not? He'd had years to learn and understand the rules of this horrible place. He had conformed beautifully to the life of a gladiator and having no desire for pain on this level, went far out of his way to avoid being punished. _

_Once Krishnak was returned to the pens, Tillamay was temporarily forgotten. Krishnak was enraged and grew quite violent, taking it out on his penmates and then his opponents the next day The fights had regained some of their earlier ugliness and cruelty, inspiring the crowds who watched them to part with their money in greater amounts. Three times Krishnak killed, crushing his helpless prey with great flair and bloodletting. _

_Greedock had quickly learned that anger and cruelty made Krishnak fight all the better. He was quite pleased with himself. But of course, once he backed off and Tillamay had a chance to work her arts on her protector, Krishnak's anger was again soothed and the violence dropped off once again. This Greedock could not abide. He would not have his wishes overridden. He would not have his most talented fighter weakened by the soft pussy of a pathetic Siskan female._

_Greedock had learned that if a nice vicious beating would enrage Krishnak to perform, perhaps there was something else that might accomplish that goal once and for all._

_Can you guess what he did, this greedy Muzla Master? I'm guessing you can._

_It was done without ceremony, without any pretense of being anything other than it was. On this world, a Muzla Master had the right to do as he pleased with any of his stable, they were all property and there would be no criminal prosecution for any action a Master might take, no matter how cruel or unjust. _

_Krishnak was restrained and forced to watch as Tillamay was dragged out into the center of the ring and tied to the pole there. He thought she might get beaten as he had been but he was wrong. One slash of the knife and her throat was cut. There had been no announcements or accusations of a false crime committed by her, it was brutal and to the point, quick and final. Gel blood poured from her in a filthy torrent with no hope of a recharge, of a repair by the sun or any other means. It was just a drag through the dirt, a slash, and a fading away to nothing but a lake of gel. Krishnak watched helplessly as her stars winked out one by one. A senseless murder if there ever was one._

_Worse than that, was the vaporous image that Krishnak now saw, drifting above her remains. He saw her spirit, her soul as it departed. This was the first time we saw such spirits, though it wouldn't be the last. She looked at us, smiling with such peace in her eyes. She gestured, "I have always loved you. Do not weep for me," but that was impossible. How could we ever witness such an event and not go mad?_

Gambit shuddered and closed his eyes, he was done for the moment. Here it was again, the unimaginable cruelty of a Master. Could he really blame Aiden for his hatred of the **Chuckfet** after reading something like this? It was impossible. How many of the **Chuckfet** had ever shown him kindness?

_It can't be dis way,_ he thought to himself. _Trishnar wouldn't have done dis. Dere 'as to be some 'appiness 'ere, some justice._ _'E must 'ave felt some love._

**_/ I guess the only way is to read on, my dear,_ **Shi'ow-ri whispered, soothing him in her way.**_ / Aiden is giving up his secrets, use them to help you understand. /_**

Remy nodded and continued, trying to make the most out of this opportunity.

_They say it is difficult to kill. That this would be so for anyone. _

_It is not. _

_And who would know better than I? They put us into the ring to fight and we'd made our first kill the first week we were there. That had been the point, really. We were but a year old at the time the Muzla possessed us. At this point in my tale we were now over fifty. Can you calculate how many corpses we'd left behind by then? Feckt. What was one more?_

_Krishnak was beside himself and quickly lost all reason. Not until that moment had he dared to admit to himself just how much he had grown to love his precious Tillamay -- her soft voice, her gentle laughter as he made love to her time and time again. He had forgotten what it was like to be happy, even just a little, and she had been the one to give that back to him._

_Krishnak didn't even bother to try and fight it when Kain, the Great anger, came out and all went red. Siskans are more powerful than those of the flesh and when they are enraged, there is no stopping what can't be stopped. Kain destroyed his restraints and flew at a very startled Greedock. _

_Blood, bones snapping, the wet of torn muscle, a strangled, gasping scream, and it was done. The other Muzla who were there were stunned silent, never had such a brutal killing of a Master ever taken place and so quickly. Greedock had been crushed and dismembered, his parts strewn about like the limbs of a doll. Kain was howling like a rabid dog, the most feral of animals, screaming his victory._

_Now it couldn't be allowed that a fighter should get away with such an act of revenge even if it was justified or not. It simply wouldn't do. There would be mutinies left and right. The Muzla knew of our Siskan weakness to electricity and they charged Kain, four to one. He managed to take down two of them before he was finally shocked senseless and restrained._

_Kain woke to find himself as a ghost once more, Krishnak had roused first and with the anger spent, reclaimed the body for his own. He was now chained and contained in an energy block, a square cage with no bars, only screens of force fields that were unbreakable. He had been drained of most of his energy and collared with a restraining brace, completely helpless. Not that it mattered, all the fight in him was gone. He understood that the Muzla would probably destroy him for Greedock's murder, but at that moment cared not one bit. It would be a relief really, the loss of Tillamay was still bright and ugly, it would be good to be rid of this pain and this life._

_It was not to be. No, the Fates had worse things in mind. Krishnak watched helplessly as the Muzla who had captured him were approached by a Dognan officer. Money was exchanged and the officer came close, his smile a grimace of pure malicious intent. "Now, my dear Receiver," he purred, "I am your new Master. You can call me Meckland. You and I, we are going to be such great friends."_

_If Krishnak thought he had known pain, he was mistaken. If he thought he had known the worst of cruelty, he was mistaken. If he thought that life was better than death... well, he was once more mistaken. You see, we were not as fully broken as we were yet to become. Not so broken and yet not so powerful as we are now. Meckland had only one goal in mind, he wanted a Rogue. And if he couldn't find one, well, he just might try making one instead._

Remy forced himself to stop, he'd read enough of Aiden's personal nightmares right before bed. He closed the computer down and crawled into bed, holding Molly close and whispering silent prayers of gratitude for having her. He couldn't imagine the loss Krishnak had suffered. Krishnak had found some light in a place of darkness and it had been violently stolen from him for all time. Remy closed his eyes on fitful dreams, a restless night of dim nightmares.

The next morning, Remy stood at the construction snack table, sipping a cup of coffee and relaxing. The disruption of yesterday's violence against humanity had settled somewhat. There had been more meetings and endless safety drills, but thankfully, he had been excused from most of them since he was placed in charge of security on Seth's project. He had never been one to sit still long enough in one place for such long discussions and was all the more pleased when he was allowed to leave.

It was now the second day of construction, early morning, and watching over the Siskans out here working was going to be an assignment he would enjoy, Gambit saw that quickly. His nightmares were softened by the present sunlight and the sense that all that happened to Aiden had been in the past.

Gambit found a secret joy in watching the Siskans Kimble and Aiden working. This was like playtime to them, they were joking and playing as they worked, laughing and being merry. The work got done swiftly enough, Kimble had his power and Aiden his great tireless strength. They made a joke of the labor and the work was progressing quickly. The work had been going steadily on for a couple of hours now and Kimble and Aiden had killed that time quickly, moving the first of the metal rails into place, the birth of the framing that would hold this vessel together.

Babette had come up this time, sitting nearby and reading, though he could see she was watching the Dreamer. Her thoughts were guarded, but her shine spoke only of happiness. She was recovering, finally shaking off some of her grief.

Adding to Gambit's already fine company was that Molly had come up to man the refreshments table and she was beside him now, her head gently leaning on his shoulder. The sun had done her well, just as he had hoped. Her shine was sparkling bright with happiness and she showed no signs of queasiness at all.

Remy had his eyes on Aiden, his mind mulling over the excerpts from the Dreamer's diary that he had read the night before. It was hard to equate the man before him with what he had read-- Aiden was laughing with Kimble, playing more so than working. There was such peace in his shine, a deep felt happiness that was matched only by Kimble's own shine. Both had been through so much and it seemed as though they had finally been allowed to recover from it. Remy vowed to do anything to protect that happiness for them both, to keep them all safe, the two brothers and their sister who sat nearby. He would do this if only the fates would allow him the chance. Impossible to think that after all they had endure that there would be more pain to follow. The world just couldn't be that cruel, could it?


	4. Chapter 4

(Four)

Seth sat at the desk inside the construction trailer, rubbing his eyes. He was so tired, but he just couldn't seem to sleep anymore. Fallen was asleep on the sofa behind him. She had been waiting for him to finish up a few last minute things, but it got away from him again and it was now quite late.

Seth was trying to work but his thoughts kept falling back on his brother. Aiden's presence had done Kimble good, that was clear. Kimble was laughing and smiling all of the time now and working hard, they got a lot done today. Aiden was new to this kind of work, but Kimble walked him through it and he picked up what he had to do quickly. He wasn't a technician, just a warm body with the strength to work hard and well.

A warm body...

Seth looked up when he heard a noise from outside. He got up and peeked out the window, trying to see out in the darkness. A flash of white skin and he saw that Kimble and Aiden were running around in the scaffolding, fooling around. Seth glanced at his watch. It was three- thirty in the morning and pitch black out there. Looked like he wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep. They disappeared off into the darkness and were gone. Seth backed up from the window to go back to work, but stopped. He was filled with that strange longing again and couldn't sit still for another minute.

He slipped out of the trailer, being silent. He had no reason for stealth, he told himself. It's not like he was sneaking up on anybody, right? But he couldn't help himself.

Seth could see the guards that had come up with his Siskan kin, they had stopped at the perimeter to chat with the guards already on watch. No one thought anything of leaving Aiden and Kim on their own out here to work, there was nowhere for them to go and there had been no trouble. Besides, the guards could see that Seth was on hand, he was there waving hello at this very moment. Seth would look after the late night workers.

Seth left the guards behind and moved off the way Kimble and Aiden had gone. There was a clatter and a sharp laugh from off to his right. They were here all right, they were playing and having a merry chase by the sound of it. Seth wandered off towards the noise. He had every reason to call out, to greet them, but he found himself compelled to silence. He crept quietly, being careful not to trip over anything and give himself away.

He found them fooling around inside one of the shell pieces for the main body of the shuttle. It was in the shape of a small room, but was still open to the top. There were no doors or windows in their frames, the piece still had holes all around it to peek through. Seth snuck around a corner and hunkered down to watch them, unable to tear his eyes away. Inside the construction itself, they were now far away enough from the perimeter for privacy, far enough from the guards for these two to relax and play without care.

Kimble and Aiden were playing tag. They had a hydraulic work table in between them now and were seeing who was too chicken to bolt around first. Aiden was facing the doorway where Seth was crouched and didn't see him. His attention was on Kimble who had his back to the door.

"You awful szlow for a Szizkan, you," Aiden teased. He faked to the right and Kimble fell for it. Aiden grabbed him as he came around and Kimble squealed with laughter as he was snatched and grabbed. Aiden hauled him up off his feet and slammed him down hard on the table. It looked violent and painful and Seth couldn't help a silent gasp of surprise. He need not have worried.

Kimble giggled and squirmed, trying to break free of Aiden's grasp. It wasn't going to happen. Aiden shoved Kimble's knees apart with his body and stood in between his legs, pinning him down. The table was in its lowest position, too low for what he had in mind but he was getting there. He wrestled with Kimble who was still putting up quite a fight. He snatched at the pilot's wrists and caught them, pinning them down to the table at his shoulders. He laughed wickedly and sniffed at Kimble. "What isz disz, eh? You wanna fight? You fight szo nize, you. C'mon, zen. Do it. Break free!"

Kimble squirmed and kicked, but Aiden had him tackled quite nicely.

Seth watched this, bewildered. It looked like they were fighting but Kimble wasn't using his powers. He should be kicking Aiden's butt, but wasn't. He could see Kimble's wrists going red from being held so roughly, Aiden was very strong and his grasp unyielding. Kimble was straining and grunting and getting nowhere.

Aiden just lay over him laughing. He still faced the doorway and Seth could see him clearly. He sniffed at Kimble again and started licking his bare chest, using long slow strokes of his tongue. Kimble groaned with arousal and shuddered again. "What isz disz, eh? You all done now, my preciousz, you? Yesz, you luv what Aiden do for you. Heh, heh. You too easzy."

Kimble bucked and fought some more, but he wasn't going anywhere. Aiden licked him again and again, licking the fight right out of him. His tongue passed over and found a nipple. He bit it and Kimble's whole body convulsed in a huge tremor. He snarled what sounded like a complaint, but wasn't. It was a demand. Aiden relaxed his grip on Kimble's wrists and the pilot grabbed him hastily, hauling him up over his body to be kissed.

Seth didn't understand what he was seeing, only that he was mesmerized by this violent interaction and couldn't tear his eyes away. He felt a stirring from deep inside of him. One part of him thought Kimble was being abused, but the other knew that this was actually quite the opposite. This was Kimble's idea of foreplay.

It was Aiden's, too. He fumbled at Kimble's shorts and started to unbutton them.

"Wait!" Kimble hissed. "We're outside. Them guards is gonna see us!"

Aiden snorted at him arrogantly. "You live too long wit ze **Chuckfet**. Deir way of t'inkin' ain't no part of usz. Szo what if szomebody szee? Zey can come join usz. Aiden don' care! Ze more de merrier, 'e szay!"

"Jeez! Yer one crazy fuck, I'll tell ya that fer free."

Aiden kissed him again. "What? You t'ink a Sziszkan can only fuck wit one, eh? What Maszter you ever been wit dat you fuck only one? Zey alwaysz share. Alwaysz. No Sziszkan can ever lay wit jusz one for long, usz. It ain't right, ain't normal. Zey go crazy, get all mad. You t'ink Aiden don' know you gonna lay around on ze szide? He care not. He gonna do ze szame. All dat mattersz isz you comin' 'ome to me. You sztayin' wit me for all time. Dat'sz what fidelity isz to a Sziszkan. Who you come 'ome to."

Seth felt a tremor run right through him. What was this? Aiden's words had come out and hit him like a sledgehammer. It almost felt like Aiden knew he was there and was speaking to him. Like Aiden understood why he was going so crazy and wanted to explain it.

"Yer serious, ain'tcha?" Kimble asked in breathless wonder. His time spent with Babette notwithstanding, he had prepared himself for a lifetime of monogamy. He had made his choice, his singular commitment to Aiden, wondering if he could actually pull it off. He had never done it, it was true. Even with Sheyman, he'd had clients. Now, Aiden was giving him a freedom he hadn't expected. On the other hand, the thought of Aiden in the hands of another was distressing.

Aiden seemed to sense it. "Don' you worry, my preciousz pilot. Zere ain't no one gonna tear me away from you. No one. I luv you too much, me. I alwaysz 'ave an' I alwaysz will." He bent down and was kissing Kimble again, slow at first then harder. One of his hands strayed out of sight between Kimble's legs and the pilot shivered again. Aiden let him have a sip of Kundatesh and the conversation part of this exercise was over.

Aiden pushed him gently back down on the table before adjusting it to a more appropriate height. He'd seen this table when they were working earlier in the day and immediately saw a much better use for it than wall framing. He slowly undressed his lover, taking care to kiss him and touch him all over, gentle now. He undressed himself quickly and went to work, making love to Kimble nice and easy, worshiping him first with his mouth, then with his body. Oh, how he loved the taste of this pilot in his mouth and the heat of his body so close. It showed clearly on his face, in the tender way he touched his lover now that the roughhousing was done.

Seth stood in his hiding place, stunned. He watched as Kimble groaned and shivered, unable to keep silent. It was like a strange dance, a passionate interaction that was beautiful to his eyes. This he had never seen, two men at play. It fascinated him because it was so different from what he knew and he couldn't stop himself from smiling and taking it all in. His brother's passion captivated him as well. Kimble was just like himself, not hiding his pleasure but vocalizing it and reaching out with his hands to touch. Seth shivered, fully aroused and aching from the sight of it.

Aiden lay his head back, standing now as he gave his attention to Kimble. His whole body was busy, his hands never still as he applied all of his skills and knowledge to bringing out the most rapturous cries from Seth's older brother. Kimble was on his back, his knees spread wide and his furry legs around his pleasurer, driving him with his heels pressed into the small of his back, faster, faster.

Aiden pressed Kimble against him with his strong hands on the pilot's thighs, keeping him from sliding all over. He was sweating furiously now from the heat and exercise and turned his head to rub sweat from his chin on his shoulder. His eyes were half open and glassy as he worked, but not sightless. He caught sight of Seth's flickering shine from his hiding place and knew he and his lover were no longer alone. Aiden didn't mind in the least -- he smiled at Seth boldly now, cocking his head ever so slightly in amusement.

Seth was terrified at being discovered, but unable to move.

"You like what Aiden do, eh? Yesz, I t'ink it'z szo," Aiden asked softly, not being very clear to whom he was addressing. "Jusz wait, eh? It get'sz better."

Kimble was oblivious to the notion they were being spied upon. He lay on his back, shivering now and drenched in gel sweat from their workout, tensing up as he neared his climax. He had one of his hands over Aiden's, the other on himself, moving in perfect time to Aiden's steady rhythm. He didn't respond to Aiden's question, he was too busy enjoying his partner's lovemaking far too much.

Seth watched in fascination as the air around the pair became even more charged and then gasped in silent surprise as Aiden's body began to give off a strange sparkling mist. It spread over the body of his lover, raining down sparkling glitter lights all over him.

Apparently, this wasn't new to Kimble, he reacted immediately with pleasure. His cries of happiness increased as the sparkling lights twinkled down on him, a gentle rain of love inspired Kundatesh. The Morrowhiem, it was like a kiss and a touch all over. It was also more than he could take. He laughed once, arched his back and climaxed with a shudder. He shivered and shook and then shook some more, crying out loudly the whole time. It was like he would never stop and Aiden laughed at him. "Szing for me, eh? Szing for your Aiden, dat'sz right. Uhhnn...!"

Aiden's eyes had glazed over from Kimble's rush and he was doing his best to hold back as long as possible. A time delay here was critical. They had become so intense in their feelings for one another, it simply wasn't safe. The cloud release took the edge off of some of it, but it wasn't enough to stop the blackouts from happening. They had to be careful. He feared they would damage themselves if they gave into the rush with too much fury too often. He held back as long as he could and then let go himself. He didn't shake as hard or for as long, but his rush was no less powerful. Kimble cried out from the pleasure wave and Aiden slumped over him, his legs buckling. Kimble snatched at him as best he could and they lay together, both momentarily dazed.

Seth watched this, both terribly excited and afraid. Their passionate lovemaking had aroused him almost to the point of madness, and the pulse of Kundatesh they released had been powerful enough for him to feel, even from the distance he was apart from them. Some of the sparkles of Morrowhiem had drifted his way, tantalizingly close. He didn't know if it was intentional on Aiden's part or not, but they licked at the corners of his mind, teasing him and calling out to that place inside of him that had been making him so crazy lately. He wanted it. He wanted Aiden's arms around him, drowning him in it.

Seth was still trembling as he watched Aiden awaken first and heave himself up with his arms. The Dreamer was still a little out of it from the passionate rush and wiped some drool from his chin. His legs would not support him so he just leaned against his lover and looked up at Seth. He grinned at him with an arrogant, teasing smile and slurred softly, "It'sz all right. Not szo szcary asz it looksz, thisz."

Seth remained frozen, still mortified that he'd been seen, but at the same time, he couldn't keep his eyes off the glitter that continued to drift his way. It alighted on his face, flushing him even more with its heat. He shuddered hard and swooned, dizzy now with an arousal that was sure to drive him insane.

Aiden just chuckled softly with more benevolent arrogance and sent a powerful vibration of invitation, **_/ Don' be szcare' of ze Morrowhiem. It isz for you. Juszt reach out an' touch it. Zere is more...if you will come 'ere and take it. / _**

Seth shuddered again, his body screaming now for it. Yes, he wanted it as badly as junkie wants a fix, but he knew what the price would be -- intimacy. His Siskan self didn't care, but the Seth that had lived with humans and with human rules knew better.**_ / I can't, my Mistress...! _**his body wailed in complaint as tears of frustration sprung from his eyes.

Aiden was disappointed but not a quitter. He was about to offer Seth further encouragement in an attempt to change to his mind when Kimble shivered and groaned, coming out of his love induced stupor. He tried to rise but couldn't, his body numb and uncooperative. Aiden just snickered softly and petted him gently, soothing him with loving caresses. Kimble chuckled happily at his lover's touch, seemingly oblivious that Aiden had just spoken to their third party observer. Aiden kissed him slow and easy. "Reszt eazy now a bit, my luv. My preciousz pilot."

"I loves you," Kimble whispered. He shivered and a tear of joy leaked out of one eye.

Aiden wiped it away, smiling now. "Aiden luv you, too, me. Zere will never be anyone elsze."

Kimble sat up, stronger now, and embraced his lover, resting his head on his shoulder like a sleepy child. Aiden held him and petted him, but his eyes were still on Seth.

The young pilot didn't know what Aiden was trying to say. He was trembling and confused. Seth couldn't take it anymore -- he fled, leaving as silently as he'd come. He never saw Aiden drop his eyes in frustration and wish him a silent prayer for understanding.

Aiden was thinking this had gone on long enough. Someone was going to have to put an end to Seth's suffering and if no one else stepped up soon, he was just going to have to take care of this himself.

-----------------------

Seth bolted back to the trailer and went inside. He was clumsy in his heat driven haste and his loud entry awakened Fallen. She sat up in surprise and rubbed at her eyes. "You okay?"

He didn't answer but stood with his back to the door, trembling as tears poured from his eyes.Fallen rose quickly and went to him. "What's wrong?"

He couldn't answer her, but when her hands reached out to him, he grabbed at her roughly and kissed her. He was overcome with heat from watching the other Siskans at play and was undone. She laughed nervously, but didn't resist as he manhandled her to the couch and lay her down. He couldn't get her clothes off fast enough and he snarled angrily in frustration.

Fallen was instantly concerned. This was not like him at all. She sensed his anger and stripped down quickly, not wanting to get in the way of it. He had never been violent in the past, but he frightened her now in this moment in a way she didn't understand. He took her as soon as she was free and gave vent to his passion. He was rough, but didn't hurt her. It was very different and kind of nice, but it was over way too fast. He was hardly there for a couple of minutes before he cried out and was shaking, shaking and trembling as always. Like Kimble, one good shake was never enough for him. He fell against her, gasping and quivering from head to toe.

"You okay?" she repeated, unable to hide her worry.

He nodded, opting to lie to her once more. He was better now, but not okay. His passion still burned. He felt like he could fuck her all night and it would never be enough to put out this strange fire that flamed within. It was insatiable, this thing consuming him. He kissed her and stroked her, waiting to see if she would be receptive to an encore if he was more gentle.

She was. She lay back, catching her breath and let him have his way. She had no idea what had fired him up so tightly. She had no idea what had wound him up over these past weeks never mind this night. Never had he been so sexually demanding of her. She couldn't explain it and was doing her best to deal with it, but something had to have happened to make this come about, something Seth was not telling her. She had no idea about the codes, she just knew that since they had come here, something was bugging her Seth, something made worse with Aiden's arrival. It was driving her crazy, this thing she couldn't figure out.

They made love, much more slowly and gently this time, his desire to please her utterly soothing her jangled nerves. He wasn't going to be satisfied until he finished her and applied himself to that end with his usual precision. He loved her well until she was trembling and gasping against him, then let go with more of the passion that was driving him. He shook again, climaxing violently, but felt a wellspring of frustration when it still wasn't enough to satisfy him. He felt something shatter and break inside of him and burst into angry tears.

"What's wrong?" Fallen asked, unable to keep the worry from her voice. This was getting to be too much. He was frightening her.

"I don't know! I'm just going crazy and I don't know why!" he sobbed and pulled away from her. He paced restlessly then turned in anger and suddenly slammed his fist into the wall. It was incredibly painful and he cried out, falling to his knees as he gripped his wrist.

"Seth!" Fallen shouted and ran over, putting her arms around him. "What are you doing?"

"Help me, Fallen!" he cried and fell against her. "Help me, please!"

She gripped him tightly and tried to fight the tears that spilled down her cheeks. "Tell me what to do and I'll do it."

"I don't know. I'm so scared!"

"It'll be okay," she soothed, petting him. "I'll hold you and it'll all go away."

She pulled him to his feet and back to the couch. They lay down together and wrapped up the blanket there. He clung to her as he sobbed and let her gently pet him until he fell asleep.

Fallen had never been so frightened. She had no idea what was going on with him. Her worst fear was that he was going to shatter as Kimble had. She would have to talk to Henry about this. He knew Seth best and was the one most likely to know this secret Seth was keeping. Perhaps if she went to him, he might be compelled to divulge it. If not, at least he might know some way to help.

-------------------------------

Three levels down, Henry was working on his own problems. He was in the Complex's version of the Danger Room, using a little exercise to work off an overload of stress. This had not been a good day. Just that morning, he had lost one of the victims of the Massachusetts Academy disaster and an hour ago, nearly lost another. This war was becoming far too costly.

The Danger Room was exclusive to only the top brass, though it was starting to be used to train some of the intermediate teams. It was not to be taken lightly, it could be used to train, but there was always the risk of injury or death. Elaborate holograms were used to create sets and artificial opponents, monsters and tricky environments to better prepare the users for any contingency. This late at night, the room was easily available and the blue furred doctor had snagged it for his own use.

Beast had the program up to one of the highest levels, a Wolverine routine, and was sweating furiously. He had fur so sweating was problematic, the fur on his sides was plastered flat and he was panting, doing his best to cool down. It didn't mean he wasn't coping well with this program, on the contrary he had completed it to his satisfaction, pleased that despite growing a year older, he could still keep up with the team if he'd been called for. Like most of the senior staff, it was a matter of pride to be able to keep up.

Henry stopped, the program done, and took a minute to stand there and simply breathe, enjoying the rush of blood through his veins, the thunder of his own powerful heartbeat. Alive. He was very much alive and strong. Yes. Alive.

Wolverine watched this from the small control room that looked down on the room. No, he hadn't been invited, but when he'd seen the room running this late and who was in it, couldn't resist coming in for a peek. He couldn't help but be impressed. It was easy to forget just what the acrobatic and muscular Beast was capable of, the man had run through one of his more strenuous programs and completed it without being killed.

Logan was not unaware that Henry was stressed out. They all were walking on a fine hair trigger edge these days, knowing that Jael could descend on them at any time. Beast's worries were somewhat more because as a doctor, he was down in the trenches, seeing the damage up close and bleeding. Logan had heard of the day's loss and understood that Henry would be hurting from it. Even as a physician, there was no way to insulate yourself from feeling the loss, not when the ones taken by Death's greedy hand were friends and coworkers.

Logan lit a cigarette, contemplating his complex friend. Beast was supremely intelligent, spending his spare time in the company of test tubes and computer programs, spending a lot of that time figuring things out. No one could argue the team hadn't benefitted from it. They had complex diagnostic machines that would be the envy of any hospital. They had a fairly qualified surgeon on hand at all times. It was rare that Henry called for outside assistance and even then, stood by to learn as much as he could.

The man hardly slept. Many times one team or another had come in during the wee hours of the night, cut up and bleeding from a disastrous mission gone wrong. Beast was always there, seemingly fresh enough to work and remained on duty however long it took to see that all the wounded had been cared for. More than once, Logan himself had been in a bind, injured beyond a quick recovery. Henry might not opt to stitch and sew knowing the healing capabilities of his teammate, but there had always been a warm bed and soothing comfort mumbled softly in his ear. Even Henry had seen to it that Logan had his dignity and kept that private, but Logan had been thankful for every whispered word and gentle touch. No matter the situation, Beast was on hand and ready, always dependable.

Of course, this meant that Beast was often times alone. What time was there for a love life if the man was always here? Logan wasn't on the team when Henry had experimented on himself and turned himself blue in his arrogance but he had seen pictures of the man before it had happened though, and honestly Henry McCoy had once been a handsome man. Wolverine was sure the kid had had no shortage of dates. But in all the time since he'd known the doctor personally, there had been no companionship on that level, male or female. Yes, he had heard some cruel offhand jokes that Henry was gay or just generally neutered by what he had done to himself. Somehow Logan doubted any of that was true. If Henry was so insensitive to his own heart, he wouldn't be down there now, working out so dangerously close to that edge. No, Henry's current pain was mirroring his own at those times of extreme stress.

The program stopped, Henry had finished, and was now panting, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.

Logan couldn't help but smile. He clicked the intercom and asked, "You okay, old man? Maybe I could find something a little less strenuous fer ya."

Beast startled, he hadn't known he was being observed, but glanced up to the control room with a toothy smile. "I'm fine, dear friend. Don't let my gasping breaths fool you. It is merely a ruse."

"Fer what? To fool me inta thinkin' yer all done? I can see that from here."

Beast shook his head, still grinning. "A dollar a hoop says otherwise."

Wolverine couldn't help but laugh at the challenge. He did as commanded and ran a basketball program, changing the image in the room to a street court. He stripped off his jacket and came down the stairs to the room, joining Henry who wasn't looking nearly as tired as he had only a minute ago. Still, Logan had to tease, "Ain't really fair, takin' yer money. I'm fresh and yer lookin' a bit peaked."

"Peaked?" Henry laughed, running a hand through his sweat soaked hair, smoothing it back and out of his eyes. "My friend, it is you who will be buying the beer on this one, rest assured."

"Uh huh," Logan grunted and picked up the ball, bouncing it playfully. He moved to enter the court and found himself well guarded, Henry's large body covering his easily. He ducked and twisted, but Henry shoved him, well within legal limits of course, and the ball was snatched from him. Henry took his prize and jumped and shot, making the basket with ease.

Wolverine laughed, pleased that Beast wasn't holding back. It had happened to him often, that an opponent wouldn't play to their ability, fearful of his temper. There was always an element of danger when playing with a man who was permanently armed. Logan took the ball back and they played well, the feral man evening up the score soon enough. They were nearly done when the door to the room opened and a tall lean figure entered, leaving a long shadow from the light outside. "Well now, isn't dis special."

Henry had the ball, but he paused now to greet their guest. "Good evening, Master Remy. Care to join us?"

"Now, wait a minute," Logan complained merrily. "We were almost done."

"Hmm, yes. A tie game. Eight to eight of a score of ten."

Gambit came closer, slipping off his long coat to drape it over a holographic park bench. He was already rolling up his sleeves even as Logan was complaining. "C'est bien. Don' worry, I'll catch up," he boasted with an easy arrogance. "Shouldn't take long."

Logan glanced at Beast, an eyebrow playfully raised. "You hear this punk? Boy needs a dressing down, if ya ask me."

"Undoubtedly," Henry said in agreement and the game resumed in earnest.

True to his boast, the boy did gain some ground quickly. Beast couldn't help but be somewhat impressed. Remy still retained a bit of a limp and he had lost a fraction of his usual grace, but he was still liquid and feline, bending and twisting around to make impossible moves, his targeting eye on the basket impeccable. There was no room for doubt in Henry's mind, Kimble had had a hand in the boy's recovery, there simply was no way he would have healed so fast and so well otherwise.

The game grew a bit rougher, Logan testing Remy's limits in his own way. Gambit suffered only when cornered, Wolverine simply could not be moved when he had a mind to stay in one place. Beast was Remy's equal in agility and height, he was only slightly slower in speed and reaction time. The three complimented each other and fell into their old places, finding that earlier teammate camaraderie as though it hadn't been months since they had worked together on a mission.

The game finished with Henry in the lead and the others tied. They all collapsed on the ersatz pavement, laughing now like kids as they gasped for air, all of them tired but all the better for the exercise.

Wolverine lay on Remy's left, his sensitive nose informing him whether he wanted it to or not. All throughout the game there had been the soft air of Molly's scent wrapped around the boy, the tantalizing undertone of sex always present. "So, how's Molly doin'?' he couldn't help but ask.

"She's good. Ol' 'Enry's been lookin' after 'er."

"So the nausea has stopped?" Henry piped in, falling into the role of doctor without even thinking about it.

Remy slanted a hand in the air. "Sometimes oui, sometimes non. Good today, mebbe not so good tomorrow. We were outside almost all day workin' on de site, did 'er some good, I t'ink. Gonna pester 'er, make sure she come tomorrow."

"And yer kids?" Logan wanted to know.

Remy smiled at that, understanding that the man was asking about the gaggle of Siskans. "De boys workin' out fine, if dat's what you askin'. De Dragon's gonna be done fast, fast. Mebbe only a coupla weeks dey keep up de pace. Set' couldn't be 'appier."

"Really?" Henry said more so than asking. The question was thoughtful and musing.

Remy sat up to look at him. "Sumptin' on yo' mind?"

"Seth has been acting strangely. Don't tell me you haven't noticed, my perceptive friend?"

"Sure, but it's gotta be stress, right? 'E got a lot on 'is mind wit buildin' de Dragon an' all."

"Probably," Henry replied in a nonanswer answer. He had kept Seth's secret, but he wasn't sure for how much longer. Seth's troubles were becoming more and more obvious and it was painful to watch. Something would have to be done, but since it was most likely a matter of programming, Henry was at a bit of a loss. No magical pill was going to fix poor Seth's woes.

"I'll keep watch," Gambit promised, laying back down to relax.

During the exchange, Logan was quiet, listening. He had noted that Seth was on edge, there was a kind of shakiness in his hands and a wariness in his eyes. Seth was hiding something, there was no scent required to spell that out. Wolverine wasn't particularly worried about it, Seth's world was so small, how important could it be to him? Besides, the doctor and the thief were looking out for the boy. There was nothing to worry about there.

He grunted and lazily scratched his belly with one hand. "So? Who wants a beer? Looks like Remy's buyin'."

" Espe're, hold up dere, folks. We was tied!" Gambit protested with mock offense.

"Yeah, but you come in late and yer a young punk. Seems fair ta me."

"All de more you should pay. I caught up to you quick enough."

Wolverine nodded, giving in. "All right, we split. Fair enough?"

"Bien. Fine by me," Remy answered and rose stiffly, stretching his back. "Don't know who's open dis late, though. What time is it?"

Logan glanced at this watch. "Huh, three 'o clock. Guess it is kinda late."

"I have some Molsen in my apartment," Henry offered cheerfully.

"Sounds good ta me," Logan chirped happily, that being enough to get him to rise to his feet.

"Uh, why you drink dat Canadian crap?" Gambit tossed out, playfully antagonizing Wolverine on purpose.

"Not to worry, it's not all I have," Beast said, getting in the way of any hostilities.

Remy grinned. " 'Enry, you sly dog. You 'oldin' out on us?"

"Just because I am a doctor doesn't mean I am not allowed the liberty of a few pleasures. I have some Rum and Schnapps as well."

"Tsk," Remy teased. "When you all done playin' doctor, at least you can always sideline as a bartender, neh?"

"I make a mean Martini," Beast promised. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing to the door.

"Don't have to ask me twice," Logan said with a grin, taking the lead. And so they went, three old friends taking some time to savor this calm before the storm. It wouldn't be long before the next round of trouble started. Why, it only took one day.


	5. Chapter 5

(Five)

It was the next afternoon when Aiden walked into the trailer office, wiping the sweat from his eyes. He was more used to the cool climate controlled interior of the Complex than the Arizona heat outside. He had been outside working for a while and it was much cooler here in the office. He couldn't help but sigh with relief as the chilled air caressed his overheated skin.

"Hot enough for you?"

Aiden smiled at Seth's playful question. His eyes were happy but he was a little nervous. It had only been last night that Seth had spied on him and Kimble at play and Aiden could still see Seth's continuing distress, that the internal fires were still burning at him. His shine was cloudy, swirling with unsatisfied lust and a brooding unease. Aiden knew the cause of it if Seth didn't -- **Shemusk**. There was no doubt of that for Aiden, not after seeing the way Seth had reacted to the Morrowhiem sparkles that had drifted his way. Aiden wasn't sure what to do about it, but he was hoping Seth would ask about last night, it would be a step in the right direction. "Disz 'eat, not szo good for Aiden. 'E likesz it a bit cooler."

"Me, too. What can I do for you?" Seth asked, turning in his chair to face his guest.

"Keemble aszk for ze next schematic."

"He's finished already? Those two sure work fast."

"Non. 'E need to szee where ze next piece gonna go. Szumpting like dat."

"Mmm hmmm," Seth replied absently and shuffled some papers around, looking for the one that Aiden had requested.

As Seth was digging around Aiden poked around the office, checking out some of the blueprints tacked up on the walls. He wasn't all that interested in the papers, he was just killing time, tasting Seth's vibrations. He wondered how it was that Seth did not know what was troubling him, how no one else could see it. It was painfully obvious to himself and it was growing more and more difficult to ignore. He felt horrible and guilty about his own fear to act, that he was more afraid of being punished again and losing Kimble than to help this poor Siskan in need. Seth was in full **Shemusk** and deconstructing quickly. Aiden shuddered with shame and tried to think of something else.

Aiden glanced back when Seth had stopped moving. He stood with renewed nervousness, seeing that Seth's eyes were on his face. The look in them was filled with sadness and pain. "What?"

Seth shook his head and handed the papers Kimble wanted to him.

"Aszk ze question. Aiden won' bite you, me," he said gently, hoping to put Seth at ease**_. / Aszk me,_**his body vibrated,**_ / Pleasze!_** If only they could talk about this perhaps a solution might present itself. Seth's condition couldn't be allowed to continue, it just couldn't. It would break Aiden's heart.

Seth swallowed, trembling. His voice was a shaky stammer as he said, "I accept your invitation from before. Lay with me. Please."

It was a big risk, saying those words. Seth knew he had plenty to lose, but he couldn't deny that something about Aiden was irresistible. Something about the guy just robbed him of all focus. Aiden had something he wanted and needed, he couldn't help but think that. It was about time to find out what that might possibly be. It was that or finish going silently mad.

Aiden shifted uncomfortably, but couldn't stop the smile. He was sorely tempted, there could never be any doubt of that. He loved all forms of play and a new face was always a treat, but it was Seth's condition that had him all the more eager for it. Even before Seth had finished speaking Aiden was already checking his options, seeing if it was even possible for him to get away with it right here and now. There were the bright and open windows of this office that looked out onto the tarmac, the folks outside could see in too easily for his comfort. He had his doubts. He had gotten into enough trouble here already not to be so reckless. He didn't think it was so unreasonable to suggest, "It would be my pleaszure to do disz for you, but like you szay, you 'ave a Mistressz. You muszt aszk 'er if it'sz okay. Only zen can disz be done."

"She doesn't have to know."

Aiden shook his head, rueful but still so very cautious. "It isz not what she know, it'sz what you know. Ze Mistressz, she will szee it, her. It would be beszt if she didn't fight usz on disz, undersztand?"

"I --- I don't care."

"Aiden caresz. Not szo much ze Mistressz. But Keemble maybe will not like it if zere isz trouble."

"Fuck Kimble!" Seth grumbled irritably, not really meaning it as his anger overrode his reason. He was upset that it seemed like he had to go through a committee for every decision about his life.

"Aiden doesz, every day," Kimble's lover snickered softly. "But not wit you, leetle one. It not wort' ze riszk if we get caught."

Seth looked up at him, begging him with his eyes. "Please! I'm going crazy!"

Aiden turned away, sympathetic yet unwilling to cross any more boundaries. He had no desire to visit another holding cell. "Aiden knowsz disz. He will szpeak wit ze Keemble. Szee what he can do."

Seth moved closer, unhappy with Aiden's response. He did his feeble best to seduce, blocking the door with his body and pushing Aiden back against the wall. He pressed his body against the Dreamer, opening his mouth and kissing him with as much wanton lust as he could manage. He'd never had to seduce anyone before and he was at a bit of a loss, he could only hope that Aiden would sense what he needed and react to it. He was Siskan after all, and weren't they designed to please?

Seth was correct in that Aiden's first response was to comply to such a blatant want. Seth's inexperience was obvious as well, almost enough to make Aiden laugh. He didn't dare, not wanting to hurt Seth's feelings. He could sense Seth's desire --- that and the growing Kundatesh inside of him. That was really the root of Seth's problem, not a desire for male company. He could see that Seth was little more than a virgin, fumbling and awkward. So many things he could be taught and what fun it would be to do it. Aiden returned the kiss automatically, his programming overriding his sense of reason, instinctively grasping Seth by the neck to make it all the more sweeter and more real, teaching Seth with the movement without even realizing he was doing it.

The young Siskan was all over it, inflamed by the willingness he sensed. Seth groaned with need, his body shivering and his chest heaving, the embrace far richer than anything he had ever felt before. His body screamed for more and he trembled with a complete loss of control.

Aiden felt it and melted into the kiss. He had wanted this too badly to fight it all that vigorously. He didn't know Seth well, but Seth was Siskan and for Aiden, that was enough for him to want to kill the terrible suffering Seth had to be enduring. He could do this, it wouldn't take that long really, just a quick tumble, blinding hot and fast and sweet...

_Dreamer!_ Father suddenly shouted, wisping into view behind Seth's shoulder, in Aiden's line of sight if he were to open his eyes.

Aiden jerked in surprise, awakened suddenly by the elder ghost's voice of reason. Father's voice was sharp and commanding as he continued to rant, _Just what exactly do you think you're doing? How does this accomplish our goal? How does this bring us closer to Angel? _

'_E szuffersz! Szomet'ing muszt be done!_

_And who elected you for that job? Have you learned nothing? You know the rules here! You were arrested for playing with Kimble in public! What do you think they will do for you for playing in public again and this time with someone who doesn't even belong to you? You don't have permission for this! Tell me you are not this stupid! Stop this at once!_

Father was right and Aiden realized his blunder just a little too late. It was just like him to screw up, lured by such a pretty face and deep suffering. He had to stop this before it went too far. Father was right as usual and now he had to bow out of this gracefully. Aiden was gentle when he pushed Seth back. "Patience, leetle one. Disz not ze time or plaze. Let Aiden speak wit ze Keemble. More dan zat 'e cannot do right now."

Seth fury spiked with his frustration. What was this? First Aiden had been all willing and now he was backing off? Seth snarled and lashed out with his anger. "Fuck you! Everybody bends over backwards for Kimble, but nobody cares about me! About what I want! Get out! Get out!"

Aiden slid away from him, his hands held up in surrender. He wasn't especially intimidated, only wary. He believed he could control Seth easily with his power if the boy was to actually attack him. It's just that there was nothing worse than a Siskan in Kundatesh heat and Seth was definitely there. "You szpeak wit your Misztressz. Aiden will take care of you den. You too crazy to 'andle wit'out 'er permisszion. I cannot take ze riszk, szorry."

"I DON'T NEED ANYONE'S PERMISSION!" Seth bellowed, enraged. "I AM NOT A POSSESSION! I'M REAL! GET OUT!"

Aiden fled, embarrassed and horrified by what he had allowed to happen. He had permitted Seth to sucker him in, a Siskan he was trying to help, and it had blown up in his face. Hopefully it would blow over and nothing would happen but he had his doubts. As he shut the door, he heard something smash against it, hurled by the poor tormented soul within. It spurred him on even faster and he walked briskly to where Kimble was standing.

Kimble smiled at Aiden as he walked over, papers in hand. He took them, not noticing Aiden's unease, but he looked up when Seth came out of the trailer office and slammed the door shut behind him. His brother's shine was dark and cloudy, he was upset again. It was happening more and more, but this time the reason wasn't so mysterious. Kimble turned to Aiden, trying not to be accusing as he asked, "Seth's all pissed off. What didja says ta him?"

"Not'ing, me," Aiden snapped irritably and tried to look away. He wasn't even close to being convincing and Kimble glared at him.

Aiden sighed and lowered his head. " 'E a Sziszkan, him. 'E buildin' shipsz, dat'sz not what a Sziszkan isz for. 'Isz Sziszkan body wakesz an' callsz to 'im. 'E'sz t'inkin' 'bout t'ingsz now 'e didn't t'ink about b'fore. 'E isz coming of age. 'E szeez usz play, you know disz?"

"Yeah, I seen him watchin'," Kimble admitted warily. In spite of what he may have projected, Kimble wasn't blind -- he had seen Seth watching them, he just wasn't sure what to do about it. He'd seen the changes in Seth's shine, but didn't understand what he was seeing. He thought maybe Seth had a kinda of crush or curiosity about him and Aiden, he knew Seth had never taken a lover other than Fallen. He also knew his former Mistress well enough to doubt Fallen was all that adventurous in the sack. There was so much Seth had never seen and felt.

Aiden was trying to explain. " 'E wantsz to know. Ze Kundatesh callsz to 'im. It'z worsze wit me. 'E szmellsz it, 'e comesz szo closze, undersztand? Aiden wishesz to show 'im what it'sz all about, sztop all de questionsz in 'isz mind, but Aiden luvz you, Kim. 'E t'inksz you would not undersztand."

Kimble shook his head. This wasn't the first time Aiden had come to him with this, his lover had been dropping hints for a while now about Seth. Hints that were less and less subtle with each passing day. Kimble was resisting those hints, not wanting to delve into waters best left alone. Seth's increasing instability was starting to leave him with little choice but to listen to someone who seemed so sure of what was really happening. Kimble was no longer certain he could approach anyone else with this, not after the way he'd been handled lately. He couldn't trust anyone, even Remy seemed further away than ever.

This was bad. Kimble didn't want any trouble for Fallen and Seth. He watched over Aiden's shoulder as Seth hopped into a Jeep and drove off. This, too, he was doing more and more. Just taking off by himself to be alone. His dependance on the cubes always brought him back, but he seemed to find no peace.

"I understand, Aiden. I do. But yer right. I don't wants ya touchin' him. He's not a complete 'gram, I toldja that. He gits outta sorts too easy, he gits overwhelmed. He'll git scared." Kimble couldn't hide the concern and worry in his voice.

Aiden heard it. "Zen you will do for 'im den, eh? Who better to do it zan you."

Kimble looked at him in shock, scandalized by the very notion of it. "I cain't do that. He's my brother. He gots a Mistress!"

"It ain't no Misztressz 'e be wantin' now, him. If dat were szo, 'e wouldn' be all messzed up. Don' you remember when ze Kundatesh firsz' wake for you? De **Shemuszk**? How it nearly drove you crazy? It de szame for 'im. You go, do for 'im. Szettle 'isz mind."

"I don' remember that. Yer talkin' crazy. Makin' up stories."

Kimble couldn't believe they were even having this conversation. Aiden said the rules didn't apply to him, it was proving to be true time and time again. Aiden sensed his hesitation and slid his arms around him. "You an' 'im, you never got ze proper education for onesz szuch asz usz, or if you did, mebbe you don' remember. It 'urtsz you, it doesz. You gotta sztop t'inkin' like all desze szilly **Chuckfet **around you. You are Sziszkan, 'e isz Sziszkan. Dere ain't no rulesz, no reaszonsz for why t'ingsz are ze way dey are. It jusz' isz. If you don' szettle 'isz mind, 'e gonna go crazy, it'sz gonna ruin 'isz 'eart."

Kimble kicked at a piece of metal on the ground, stalling for time. "I don' 'member much 'bout my first days. I jus' member Sheyman luvin' me. I wuz put ta work early, didn' go to the schools like the other 'grams did. Seth ain't never really had no childhood, no trainin'. He ain't never been shown what a real Siskan is."

"Den show 'im. Show 'im 'ow ze Kundatesh isz uszed. You don' 'ave to lay wit 'im, it don' 'ave to be done zat way, but it isz ze beszt way, non? Disz 'ow we make love, when ze Kundatesh isz uszed. Make love to your bro'der, take 'isz szuffering away."

"No. I cain't. It's wrong," Kimble protested, still a bit shocked at what Aiden was actually proposing. Yeah, he had taken his pleasure with Babette in a playful threesome, but just because that was okay didn't mean this was. This was something altogether different.

"Den Aiden will. 'Ow 'e szufferz," Aiden said, pulling away in disgust. He was sick of his own guilt but more than that, he was upset that Kimble would chose the ways of the **Chuckfet** over the suffering of his own kin. He'd hoped maybe Kimble would step in and let him off the hook but the pilot was too well trained to work against his own nature. Aiden blamed others for this, but it didn't stop the hurt. Well, he was done watching Seth suffer. Consequences be damned, he had to act.

"No!" Kimble said sharply, snatching at his wrist. Their eyes locked and Kimble backed down a bit. "No. I'll go. I'll at least talks to him. See what's on his mind." Kimble paced angrily, frustrated with having to make a decision. "If he's all fucked up like ya said, I just don't know what ta do abouts it is all."

Aiden relaxed, flooded with relief that at least now Kimble was willing to listen to reason. His voice was soft with encouragement as he answered, "Like I told you. Touch 'im. It'sz beszt when it'sz done by a Kintay, one szuch asz you and me. Blaszt 'im wit your power. Give him ze Morrowhiem. Make luv to 'im and black 'im out. It'sz ze beszt way to be sure it done right."

"But I don't gots the Morrowhiem, only you do."

Aiden shook his head. "Non. Any Kintay asz powerful asz you should have it. You jusz' 'oldin' back isz all."

"How do ya knows all this?" Kimble questioned, more for the time delay than the knowledge he desired. He had a sinking feeling that all of this was true, Aiden had been right about too many things, but he didn't like where it was leading. He was always in fear of screwing up, of doing something he would be punished for. He was stuck here, trapped between making a mistake with Fallen or with his brother.

"Causze Aiden remember what it wasz like for 'imszelf. Ze Morrowhiem wasz zere in Aiden sleepin', it be szleepin' in you asz well. It will come for you now zat Szet' need you. Aiden szeen disz pain in Szet'. Szeen it in od'ersz, too. Szeen it in Remy when 'e firsz' come to be wit usz. Babette, she black 'im out, but she wasz not sztrong enough wit ze Kundatesh to finish it szo Aiden did. Aiden isz Kintay, 'e make ze power good for Remy, now 'e not szo szcare. It'sz 'isz own. Do ze szame for your bro'der. If you luv 'im, you would do disz for 'im."

Kimble nodded, the last bit winning him over. He would do anything for Seth, anything to keep him from suffering.

"Good. Go now, before ze o'dersz know you are gone. Aiden will try to cover for you."

Kimble said nothing more but took a few fast steps and vaulted up into the air. He could track the Jeep easily from the trail of dust it left. Seth had driven to one of the outbuildings just on the edge of the shield circle and stopped there. The building was empty, there would be no one there to bother him. He watched as Seth came up to the back side and got out of the Jeep, grabbing a blanket. Seth kicked open the door to the building with an angry grunt and slipped inside, shutting it tightly behind him.

---------------------------------

Kimble dropped down out of the sky, landing just outside of the door of the shed. He glanced back over his shoulder, seeing the guards and Remy far away in the distance. So far so good, but it was stupid to think that they might have any privacy for long. When he heard Seth start to cry, he opened the door, hoping that Seth would be able to unload what was bothering them before they got interrupted.

Seth was inside, backed up in a dusty corner, the blanket spread out underneath him. He was bawling pretty hard now, he didn't even notice that he was no longer alone. Kimble called out to him, not wanting to startle him and crouched down in front of him to put his arms around him. "I'm here."

Like always, Seth fell against him and cried. "What's wrong with me?"

"Yer changin', that's all," Kimble whispered softly, petting him and kissing his forehead.

Seth continued to cry but lay down, pulling Kimble down with him. He wanted to be held tightly, held all over. He crushed Kimble to him, tangling Kimble's legs in his own, all the better to draw him closer.

Kimble didn't argue, but gently removed Seth's glasses from his face, they were wet with tears and he feared they might get crushed. He lay them aside and gave Seth a good squeeze in return. It brought back memories of when they were in Fallen's computer system together and all alone. Whenever Seth got scared or angry to the point of having a meltdown, Kimble had always been there, swallowing him up in his big arms, never picking on him or making him feel stupid. So much like Remy he was, but it was his big brother Seth wanted now. Seth rested his head to Kimble's chest, against the large lovely tattoo and gradually calmed. "I miss you," he whispered.

"I miss ya, too," Kimble replied honestly, still petting him gently. "I been away too much, I'm sorry. I'll trys ta do better, I promise."

"Kimble?"

"Yeah?"

"When we were alone...in the computer?"

"Yeah?"

"How come you never...how come you never tired to make love to me? I know you were lonely for it. It was an ache I could feel even then."

Kimble closed his eyes and sighed, not sure how to answer. He should have been surprised by such a personal question, but knew where it was coming from. He could see that ugly red darkness in Seth's shine, had been seeing it for a while without being certain of the cause. Whatever the reason, Seth was a Siskan with sex on his mind. Kimble tried to answer as best he could. "I didn't know what I could do, how far I could take it cuz I wuz so broken. Even so, I knew ya couldn't handle it. It wouldn't've been fair of me. Then when I sawr ya goin' fer Fallen, it wuzn't right."

"What's it like?"

"What?"

"When a man makes love to you?"

Kimble chuckled softly. Questions from his Peeping Tom younger brother, from the peanut gallery. Oh, yeah. This was going to be fun. "I likes it. There ain't no describin' it. It's sumpthin' ya gots ta feel."

"I've seen you with Aiden. I see what he does to you, the way he makes you feel. You shake, Kimble. You shake like all the world when you cum. Fallen doesn't shake like that. I do, but she doesn't. Why?"

Kimble laughed. Oh, yeah. What was he going to tell Angel when she grew up and asked questions like this? "Cuz we're Siskan, I guess. Though I've seen some guys shake like us. Remy does."

"You've seen Remy shake?"

"Yeah. Him an' me been tagether a few times. You keeps that quiet, ya knows how funny the humans kin get."

"I won't say anything. Did...did he like it?"

"Yeah, I think so. He shook like the whole world wuz cummin' down. Just like you said," Kimble said with a laugh, remembering. "I'd say that wuz a yes."

"Why didn't he stay with you?"

"Cuz I don' let nobody stay but I ain't gonna git inta alla that with you. I come out here ta see what's gotcha all messed up, not ta talk about me."

"I've been thinking...there's so much I've never done. It didn't really bother me much until we came here. Then everything changed. I don't know why. Then when Aiden touched me that one time... it's made it worse."

"The Kundatesh."

"Yes. That's what he said. How come I've never really felt it from you?"

"Of course ya been feelin' it from me, I kin tells when ya do. You probably been feelin' it fer so long, you jus' never knew what it wuz. I reads ya alla the time, ever since ya first wuz made. Aiden's power's a lot stronger than mine. Ya just felt it more than mine, is all."

"Do I have it? This power?"

Kimble squinted at him. "I don't know. Never really thought about it. I always figured you wuz happy with Fallen. Never had any reason ta find out."

"I am happy with Fallen, it's just...it's just not the same as when Aiden touched me."

"The Kundatesh is dangerous. It makes people crazy. It's got ya reelin', makin' ya question where yer at. That ain't no good fer you."

"Touch me, Kimble. Touch me like that."

Kimble sighed with more than a little fear. "If I do that, yer gonna go crazy. Maybe you wouldn't wants yer Fallen no more."

"That isn't true. I love her more than ever. It's just that I'm going to lose my mind! So many questions! I hurt inside!" Seth complained, tucking his head down again. "Help me!"

"Shh..." Kimble said, gently petting him some more. It was so hard, being this close with Seth so needy. That dark redness was troubling, he found himself losing his resistance against it. It was impossible for him not to want to help Seth or anyone else with a shine as disturbed as that.

He took a chance and released a small wave of Kundatesh, just enough to reassure. He was feeling a little emboldened, knowing that if they were they were going to be interrupted, the guards would have come in here by now. If he was going to help his brother, now was probably his only chance to do it with any privacy. He remembered what Aiden said, he didn't have to go all the way with Seth, he could just touch him a little, that was all.

Seth responded with a sharp gasp and a shiver. He calmed instantly and snuggled down close. His body drank up what Kimble had given him and was sated for the moment. The redness swirled in his shine, but became less dark and far more normal. The burning was still there, but it was more manageable.

Kimble was encouraged by the change in Seth's shine -- whatever he was doing, it was the right thing, it had to be. He felt Seth relax and stroked his head with practiced grace, explaining, "It's just a feelin' that's all. It's about lettin' go and just really thinkin' about who yer with, is all."

Seth rubbed his cheek against his brother and for the first time, tried to reach out just a little with his mind. He thought about how nice this was to be held, to be the smaller one protected by the larger and stronger one. To feel Kimble's comforting heat and the soft sound of his breathing. He had missed it so much.

Kimble felt it and grunted a laugh. "Jus' like that. See? Guess ya gots it some."

Seth smiled and tried harder, reaching out with his feelings of love and needing. Kimble couldn't help it, he responded with a shiver and then Seth felt the hardness of him rub against him. Kimble's body had betrayed him, desiring all of Seth's company even if the brain didn't. Seth reached down and boldly touched Kimble there, his curiosity getting the better of him. Kimble grunted and shook with the pleasure of it, but backed off. "You don' want none of that."

Seth was emboldened by Kimble's physical response to his advances and lay his brother down, kissing him. Aiden hadn't fallen for his seduction, but perhaps this one would.

Kimble couldn't stop the laugh that came, it covered his shock and shame over the fact that he was beginning to really want this. "You shure ain't the timid little boy no more."

"No, I'm not. Lay with me. Just this once. Please, Kim. I have to know what it's like, please."

"No. Yer Fallen's boy."

"I'll make Aiden do it. I swear it! I know he wants to!" Seth challenged irritably. Here it was again, this thing of him belonging to someone else and unable to make his own decisions.

"Don'tcha even thinks about it!" Kimble snapped, unable to hide the jealousy. He used his power to flip them over, this time pinning Seth down under him, giving him no escape. He'd thought to prove his dominance, but the fact was, Seth's body writhing under him was making this even worse. Seth's arousal was breaking down his resistance. That voice that told him he didn't have to go all the way with this was being drowned out and lost, its power fading rapidly.

Seth was frightened by his brother's use of telekinetic power, but wouldn't back down, his want was much too great. He pushed against Kimble, deliberately grinding his pelvis against Kimble's in an agonizing tease. He might be young and inexperienced, but he was male enough to know it would drive his already excited brother crazy. "Please, Kimble. Help me. I read Aiden's diary. Logan found it and he made me translate it. It was written for you but there was stuff in there about me. About 'grams who get sick like me. He said .. he said I'm sick and that you can help me."

"What are you talkin' about?" Kimble asked though he already knew the answer. Aiden had told him about the diary and some of what was in it. Seth's knowledge of the same things was only backing up what Aiden had said.

"It's **Shemusk**. He said that a Kintay can help me. That's you, that's what you are. A Rogue. I know I can trust you not to hurt me."

Kimble sighed impatiently and gently bumped his forehead against Seth's. "I knows about the book and some of what Aiden says is in there. That's all fine an' well, but if I fix this only ta ruins ya fer Fallen, what then?"

"It won't happen. Kimble, please!"

Kimble looked into his brother's eyes and saw his own face, his own weaknesses there. Seth wasn't his true brother, he was a splinter of himself given life. "If I do this, you leaves Aiden alone. He's mine."

"I swear!" Seth promised enthusiastically, not needing to be a mind reader to see Kimble's inevitable capitulation. Kimble could never refuse him anything.

"You don't breathe a word of this. No one's gonna understand. Not even Fallen."

"Aiden will. He sent you, didn't he? He knows I'm all messed up and he knows what it's all about. He loves you and he sent you anyway."

"Yeah. He's worried about you. Thinks it's all his fault."

"It's not him, it's me. Please, Kim. I won't tell a soul, I swear."

"All right," Kimble agreed, closing his eyes.

Kimble had no idea just what that simple decision was going to cost him. If he had he might have run away screaming, but as it was, all he knew in that moment was that Seth needed him and asked him for help. How could he possibly refuse?

Kimble began his glorious mistake by gently kissing his brother, untying his ponytail and spreading out that long lovely white hair as he sent out a powerful vibration of love no simple words could ever express. His mouth moved steadily along, first he kissed Seth's forehead, then his cheeks, the tip of his nose. When he finally closed on Seth's mouth, he let go with another small pulse of Kundatesh. Seth groaned and shook, trembling instantly. He gasped and muttered soft Siskan nonsense as Kimble continued to kiss his neck and shoulders. When his hands reached lower, Seth shivered off his pants and felt the full heat of Kimble's body for the first time.

Kimble could hear the change in Seth's breathing, feel the rise and fall of his chest as Seth grew more excited. If Seth had possessed a heart, Kimble knew it would've been pounding by now, his brother's face was flushed and there was no mistaking the stiffness that lay between them. He gave his brother a gentle flick of his tongue on bare skin. "We ain't gots much time. If we're gonna do this thing, it's gotta be quick."

"All right," Seth whispered, his body trembling all over.

Kimble chuckled softly in amusement. "So? Ya wanna top or ya wanna bottom?"

Seth just blinked at him in confusion, accessed a memory file, and then flushed with virginal embarrassment. Kimble was giving him the choice of being penetrated or not, how very considerate – something he hadn't even thought about in all of this. Well, if he was going to do this, he might as well get the most out of it. He brushed his hands over Kimble's head, feeling the silky softness of his hair. "Take me somewhere Fallen's never taken me before."

Kimble laughed at that. "We aims ta please."

He had made his final decision to help Seth out, for good or for bad. With that choice made and done with, he next applied himself thoroughly, working his brother much as he had Remy the first time they had paired. He'd had his share of virgins and was gentle and loving, taking extra steps to put Seth at ease while moving things along as quickly as possible without being reckless about it.

The truth was, Kimble had enjoyed the time he'd spent with Aiden and Babette, especially when the three of them would play together. Kimble may have called and acknowledged Babette as his sister, but his reckoning of clutchmate was not the same as a human would their flesh and blood sibling. In his mind, there was no taboo in touching her and Aiden's approval only reenforced that. Kimble was very much a sharing creature, he loved a happy group, loved to reach out in any direction and find someone there. It felt so right to be with Aiden and Babette both, the relational lines between them had blurred and his reservations about the correctness of his actions were long gone. Yes, Aiden owned his heart, but Kimble had been shown that that didn't stop him from being able to share with others. No, Aiden had encouraged that desire to spread himself, to play with whomever he chose.

It had happened more than once that when Kimble was in the throes of passion, lost in the warm embraces of his Siskan kin, that he'd pondered Seth's plight, the fact that Fallen had been his only lover. Now that he was here with his brother, Kimble loved the fact that he could do this for Seth. Kimble's newly opened Siskan mind thought that it would be wonderful to bring Seth into the nice happy threesome he'd shared with his new friends, just once to see his face. Seth would be blown away for sure. Kimble didn't know if he was that bold, it was insane to defy Fallen like that, but the thoughts of Seth's pleasure were driving him on, motivating him to do his best to please his brother right here, right now.

It was true that Seth had very little sexual experience, Fallen was it. He had never been assaulted by someone as skilled as the one torturing him now. He was being blown away, drowning in pure pleasure. They were progressing quickly, but yet every stroke of Kimble's fingers had meaning, every kiss timed perfectly and had purpose. Fallen was his Mistress and she loved him, he knew that, but Kimble's experienced hands made her seem like blind shuffling drunk stumbling in the dark like a mad groper. She couldn't come close to matching Kimble's skill. Seth was on fire and writhing, groaning and mumbling soft complaints whenever Kimble denied him release. He could feel Kimble on his body and inside his mind, controlling him and keeping his passion in check.

There was the pleasure, the teasing, but behind all of it was a strong sense of trust. As much as this was driving him crazy, Seth had complete faith in his older brother. He had no doubt of the outcome of this. Kimble had never once hurt him, had always been there to soothe and protect. To a point, he trusted Kimble more than Fallen, their bond was that strong. Always Kimble had been there for him, just as he was now. He'd known he could persuade Kimble to do this for him, Kimble simply loved him too much to refuse him anything. It didn't stop Kimble from getting his revenge. Kimble was torturing him with the simple grace of his hands.

They didn't have much time so Kimble made the best of it. He moved Seth where he wanted him, taking things as nice as easy as possible, knowing where to touch and where to caress, where to set Seth's body on fire. Unfortunately, he was doing this a little too well. He hadn't even gotten down to the meat of things when one well placed stroke of his hand sent Seth right over the edge. He climaxed violently, convulsing in Kimble's startled grasp.

Kimble was shocked, he hadn't realized that Seth had been that close. They had only been at this just a few minutes, five or six at the most, guess he had drawn this out a bit too long. He gasped as Seth's body shivered off ripples of his pleasure, drinking them down. They were not that intense, not any stronger than his first attempts to send vibrations purposely towards Kimble, and not enough to send Kimble himself over the edge. It didn't mean he wasn't amused. He laughed, "Jeez, kiddo. Yer a bit sensitive there."

Seth trembled, gasping like a fish out of water as his body stubbornly refused to take in enough air. It had been a hard climax and had shaken him, but even as he had felt the pleasure of it, still he was painfully erect and burning, like it had never happened at all. He'd dared to cross a line and had been unrewarded. He snarled in frustration, jerking as white hot rage blasted his mind.

"Whoa-ho there, buddy!" Kimble said firmly, startled by the rapid mood change, but not enough to lose control of the situation. "You just hold on a minute."

"It's not fucking fair!" Seth shouted, trying to rise. He was held firmly in place both by Kimble's hands and the strong will of his telekinetic mind. Seth exploded in frustration, screaming out in primal rage. "It's not fucking fair! Why? Why do I have to be punished like this!"

Kimble held him tightly, letting him have his tantrum. When Seth refused to calm, Kimble sent him a powerful pulse of love and bliss, a miniature version of his love trick. Aiden had taught him a greater degree of control in their hours of play and it served him well here.

Seth gasped and shook, his body absorbing the vibration greedily as it doused his powerful rage. He calmed almost at once, his body able to breathe now. He took in great gobs of air as tears streamed from his eyes.

Kimble stroked him with kind and loving hands. "Shh. Easy now, that's better."

Seth whimpered painfully, breaking down into wracking sobs.

Kimble continued to pet him, unsure of what was going on. Aiden's explanation of Seth's condition had been sketchy at best, it didn't cover these violent mood swings of Seth's. When Seth finally calmed down enough, Kimble asked softly, "Punished fer what?"

"I- I can't say...you'll hate me," Seth mumbled to the ground, exhausted down to his very core.

Kimble felt it. He felt that and more. At no time throughout that glorious fit did Seth's arousal fade. He was still painfully erect. Kimble deepened his embrace, reaching around to touch him there, stroking gently. "I ain't never gonna hates ya. Wouldn't be here if that wuz ever possible. Talks ta me."

Seth shuddered when he felt Kimble's fingers on him again. He relaxed and his eyes closed as he rocked his hips into that touch, savoring it and desiring more.

"Tell me whatcha done," Kimble said, releasing bliss with his mind as his hand continued to stroke.

"I- I changed my codes."

Kimble froze, never in a million years expecting that. "You done what?"

Seth gasped, shivering with a mind blasted with too many emotions. He didn't speak again until Kimble resumed that gentle persuasion with his fingers. He focused on that, the loving brotherly affectionate touch. It was enough for him to be able to speak. "Wh-when Remy had you repaired...I was watching the Games Master. I- I saw the codes he used and I- I remembered them."

"Them codes didn't work so well fer me," Kimble said sadly. "You musta known that."

Seth nodded, shuddering as his arousal spiked. Kimble was very talented, even in something as the simple use of his hands. He was going to go nuts, he really was. "I- I had to risk it."

"Why?"

A soft sob of misery. "I hate being so clumsy and stupid! I hate it that I have to wear glasses because the lights are so bright! I- I hate it that Fallen ---" His voice choked and he couldn't finish.

Kimble squeezed him gently, riding out the next shudder of pleasure. "What about Fallen?"

"Sh-she doesn't see me as a man. It's because I'm so weak. I- I don't want to be weak anymore."

"Shh. Yer not weak, buddy. Yer the strongest of the two of us. In yer mind."

"It doesn't matter. The codes didn't work. All they did was make things worse. Now all I feel are these stupid vibrations. I felt them before, been feeling them all along, but not like this. It hurts!"

Kimble held him tight, making the space small. "I knows. You gots ta make defenses."

"How!" Seth wailed. "I - I don't know how!"

Kimble dared to laugh softly. "Cause nobody ever shown ya how. You shoulda come ta me. I'm gonna teach ya."

Seth sobbed and shook some more, this time with real relief.

Kimble's stroking became more urgent as his mind was made. Aiden had been right all along, just as he was about so many things. He leaned in to whisper, "Them codes ya used? I'll just bet they activated the Kundatesh codes inside of ya. Ya shares them Kundatesh codes with me. I gave ya the Kundatesh, but it's been sleepin'. You just woke it up, is all. It's like you been just made."

Seth shivered. "So what does this mean?"

"Don't rightly know, but Aiden thinks maybe it's time ya got initiated inta the club."

"What?"

Kimble didn't answer but kept his hand moving, feeling Seth's body harden impossibly in his hand. He wasn't sure of what to do here exactly, but he was an intuitive guy and on somewhat familiar ground here. He brought Seth to another climax, wanting to burn off as much of this heat as possible before he got to the main course.

Seth shuddered and climaxed, but again it wasn't enough. He was getting tired, but not getting off. Before he could whimper with more frustration, Kimble turned him and kissed him, swallowing it all down with each and every kiss. "Relax," Kimble whispered, "We ain't even close ta bein' done, you an' me."


	6. Chapter 6

(Six)

"Hey, Cajun!"

Remy turned, his eyes narrowing at the less than playful use of his nickname. He was at the snack table, sipping at a cup of iced coffee and chatting with his wife. She made the best coffee to be true, but he was more grateful for the way she had perked up in the sun. She was feeling better now, or perhaps it was just his company.

"Oui?" he replied as he watched Jerry approach. The man's shine was swirling anger.

"Your pilot just took off!"

Remy took out his locator box. Yeah, Kimble had strayed and he wasn't the only one. Seth's little light was blinking, too. Both had come to a stop at one of the outbuildings, out of bounds for their trackers but not out of range of the Complex shield that was protecting the site. Remy took a couple of steps away from the table, peeking around the construction to get a look at where Seth had parked. It was a distance away, but not out of sight. It was a borderline transgression and not worth raising an army for. "I'll go see what's up. Wait 'ere an' 'ave a drink."

Jerry nodded, more than happy to let Gambit take care of this.

Remy headed out that way, but as he came towards the construction site, was stopped when Aiden clicked his tongue at him. Aiden moved in front of him, directly in his way on purpose. "Let zem be, Remy."

"Sumptin' I should know about?"

Aiden just shrugged casually, altering his posture in order to charm, to lure.**_ / Zere isz not'ing dere to be concerned about,_** he vibrated.**_ / All isz well. /_** His voice was silky smooth as he explained. "Set' juszt need to talk awhile. It isz bro'der 'e want. Let zem be. Dey ain't goin' nowhere."

Remy squinted, feeling the vibration, but rather than be assured by it, it made him all the more suspicious. "Why is Set' all upset?"

Aiden shook his head, seeing that even this one still didn't understand. Impossible that a Siskan could be in **Shemusk** and have no one know. The cruelty of the Game knew no bounds. 'Grams that needed full time care and feeding were spread out to those who knew nothing about them and left to suffer. Only a few people out there really cared, one like this man in front of him, blind as he was. On the other hand, an argument might be a good distraction, the Spirits knew Aiden was good at that. Causing arguments, that is. "Don' you know? It real obviousz to anyone wit eyesz."

Remy froze in anger, stopped just as the Dreamer knew he would be. "Quoi? Just what is dat supposed to mean?"

"You szeen isz shine, what doesz it tell you?"

"Dat de boy a little wigged out is all. 'E got a lot on 'is plate."

"Or mebbe not enough, eh?" Aiden teased playfully. "Look at all zat red. What a shame."

Remy advanced a step, his fists automatically raising at the sexual inference. " 'Scuze-moi, cher? Didn't quite catch dat."

Aiden retreated, causing the thief to pace him, moving out of sight of the shed. Out of sight out of mind and all. "Set', 'isz Mistressz neglect him, poor t'ing."

"Don' you even t'ink about messin' wit 'im, or I swear I'll kick yo' ass right up an' down dis 'ere runway!" Gambit threatened, his intent sincere.

Aiden let him rant, taking in each and every word with that smile, the one that only egged Remy on to continue. Gambit was going on and on about Seth's loving Mistress and all she had done for the boy, that nothing should interfere with that and all. Aiden didn't mind this, the verbal abuse and education the X-man was giving him. Every word ate up precious time, each retreat moving him further and further away from the shed. Remy was calm enough that he wasn't making a scene, Aiden had counted on that. They appeared to be having a discussion, a passionate one by the look of it, but the guards didn't trouble them.

"You 'earin' me, cher? You get all I was sayin'?" Remy concluded, in Aiden's face now.

Oh, it was so hard now for Aiden not to laugh. The playfulness in his shine had to be driving poor Gambit insane with impatience, like punishing a kid who refused to cry for all of his efforts. "Or coursze I 'ear you," Aiden replied, doing his best to look properly chastised and sorrowful. It was impossible of course. A glance at his internal clock told him Kimble had been gone almost twenty minutes, hopefully long enough. "Beszidesz, Keemble isz wit 'im now, ze boysz will talk, yesz? Let zem be, let zem talk. Who better to szee Szet'sz troublesz?"

Gambit took a step back, calming as he realized just how long he'd been there arguing. It occurred to him that he'd been tricked by Aiden's reactions, but the why of it escaped him. There was never any reason to fear Kimble being in Seth's company, and the reality was, Aiden had spoken the truth. Seth needed to unload and if there was anyone who was best for that it was Kimble. There was no way he could begrudge Kimble that.

Aiden saw the beginnings of understanding twinkling in Remy's shine and was quick to reassure. "Keemble gonna take care of Szet', dat'sz a promisze. Gonna get ze boy all szet. Relax. Let Keemble be. Pleasze."

Remy capitulated, backing off. Aiden's argument made sense, but he was uncomfortable having the brothers where they couldn't be seen. Neither one had been acting all that well lately, now they were off together. They'd been gone for so long, too. What had they been up to?

----------------------------------

Kimble held Seth, waiting for total calm before he began to speak again. "See, it's like what Remy said about money once, ya gots ta have it ta makes more sometimes. Our magic, the more ya gots, the easier it gits ta control."

"H-how do I get more?" Seth asked, unable to hide a tone of fear there. He had no desire to go back into the system again.

Kimble brushed his tears away. "Well, I don't thinks ya needs more, ya gots plenty. Thing is, ya gotta turn it on. You know, start it up."

"How?"

"Well, Remy said ta me that when he wuz first cummin' inta his power, it wuz makin' him all crazy, kinda like you are now."

"And what did he do about it?"

Kimble smiled. "He got jumped by a bunch of our sisters."

"They aren't my sisters," Seth said softly, turning his head away.

Kimble turned his head back. "Oh yes they is. They belongs ta both of us. We're twins, you an' me. Twins alla the way. Ferever."

Seth blinked up at him, his heart filled with a strange longing. The idea of family, of having real kin, made him feel happy in a way he didn't understand. "You really believe that?"

Kimble kissed him gently. "Of course. Now them sisters, they blasted poor old Rems again an' again, an' then, well, heh... he got jumped by Aiden."

Seth's eyes widened. "No way!" he said in a scandalized whisper.

"Nope, it's true. And alla that exposure, well, it leveled Remy right out."

"Is that- is that what you're going to do with me?"

"I'm gonna try. That is, unless you changed yer mind."

Seth surged forward, kissing Kimble with renewed passion.

Kimble laughed, "I'll takes that as a yes."

Their play resumed, the interruption over. Kimble did as promised and took Seth to a place he had never been. Whatever he was doing, it was the right thing -- all during their play, Seth was shivering off pulse vibrations of his deep pleasure and happiness. Nothing had come close to what this felt like, of being made love to like this. Kimble's own power embraced it and the pulses melted together, washing over them both and easing the pain of holding their passion in check. The door was cracked open in Seth's mind and now that power was leaking free and pleasing them both.

Kimble laughed again and pulled Seth's hair back to lick the back of his neck, tasting him and the sweetness of the gel sweat that was cooling him. This was nice, really. Kimble was quite relaxed, and enjoying this more than he would have guessed. Once he got past the barrier of who belonged to who, it just didn't matter anymore. The Kundatesh was whispering to him, telling him this was so good, so right. Seth had needed this and now he was going to be okay.

It wasn't just the Kundatesh vocalizing this sentiment. Seth was having a blast and not even trying to be silent about it. He groaned and gasped, shivered and laughed, drunk now on all this sensation. _He reminds me of me_, Kimble thought. _I cain't never hide nuthin' I feels_. _Don't want to, neither._

Kimble lay with his brother and rode the waves of pleasure and happiness that came from him, enjoying this and being the good teacher. He whispered soft encouragements and touched him all over. "Reach out with yer power. That's it. Kin ya feels me now? Right here in yer mind?"

"Yeah. My god, this is so good..." Seth breathed, washed away by a powerful duality. Their bodies were here out on the blanket, but their minds seemed to be floating just above them, touching on levels he'd never felt before. He sensed Kimble's great love for him like a solid real thing. It was like a blanket he could wrap himself in and he wanted that so very much. He took it, disappearing inside of it, and shuddered from the intensity of it.

Kimble was aware of it and shook from the return of brotherly love that poured into him. He felt Seth getting close again and this time he didn't fight it. He couldn't believe they hadn't been walked in on before this and decided he wasn't going to push his luck. He lowered the hand that steadied them -- being a telekinetic was ever so helpful --- and started to finish Seth with long loving strokes of his hand.

It was too much pleasure for Seth to handle. He cried out as he finally climaxed in a meaningful way, a final and perfect release.He slammed Kimble with a huge wave of Kundatesh Kimble didn't expect and wasn't prepared for. The air crackled just a bit and puff of sparkling glitter came off of Seth's body like fairy dust, drifting up and raining down on Kimble, adding a little kick to the Kundatesh wave he'd just released.

Kimble had no time to ponder the incongruity of that -- Aiden had said he was the one with a hidden Morrowhiem talent, not Seth. He grunted loudly from the pleasure of that wave and couldn't stop himself from cumming. He might have withstood the wave by itself, but not coupled with a the glitter cloud. No, that was more than he could take. He couldn't resist this from Aiden, no way would he be able to fight it now, especially when he hadn't been expecting it. It was too soon and his lust too powerful from holding himself back all this time. He barely had the consciousness to try and check his orgasm before he returned the favor to Seth with a Kundatesh wave of his own.

Kimble didn't have a prayer of controlling it. It was powerful in its own right, even though it didn't have a glitter cloud of its own. Most of it got loose and Seth gasped from the shock of it -- in all of their play today, Kimble had never blasted him with a force of Kundatesh as large as this. Seth jerked as something brilliant and wonderful exploded inside his mind, something blissful and liberating in a way he had never felt before. It was more euphoria than his fragile state could handle. His eyes rolled up behind his eyelids from the sensory overload and he lost consciousness.

Kimble had no time to breathe before Seth climaxed again without feeling it, his body had responded to the Kundatesh without his consent, not needing him there for this. Kimble grunted in surprise as there was another explosion of sparkling lights all around him and he blacked out.

---------------------------------

Kimble woke a momentlater, his brain too fogged to completely understand what just happened. He was laying in a heap, Seth tangled around him, both of them drenched in sweat and sticky with cum that hadn't yet shimmered away. Glitter was drifting down all around them, weightless and beautiful. For some reason, it reminded him of love and Aiden, though if you asked him why at that moment, he wouldn't have been able to say why. He groaned and tried to move, but he was wasted. He blacked out again.

The next time he was awake, he knew he'd been out a few minutes. The cum had shimmered away and the line of sun had crept further down the edge of the blanket. Seth was still out cold.

"Shit!" Kimble gasped in panic at the sight of his brother so immobilized and attempted to rise. He was trembling and shaking all over, too weak to even move properly. How stupid of him to think he had the control for this! He staggered up onto one arm and pulled Seth's head back. His eyes were half open and glazed. At least he was still breathing, but he was out cold and down for the count. "Damnit!"

Kimble grabbed at his shorts and dressed as quickly as his weak and feeble hands would allow. He was still a bit out of it himself, he could hardly control his shaking and things seemed dim and far away. How was he going to handle this? Should he stay here and wait for Seth to revive or bring him back? He had no idea how long Seth would be out and he couldn't hope to explain this. Seth wasn't dressed and there was no way for Kimble to make him create his clothes. Bringing him back nude would cause quite a stir.

He tried to calm himself, remembering what it had been like with Remy. They had both blacked out the first time, but it hadn't been for long. Seth was apparently more powerful with the Kundatesh than Remy had been, but more fragile in his sensitivity to it. The best he could hope for was to make Seth comfortable and pray he would be out only just a few minutes.

He decided to wrap Seth up in the blanket and just hold him for a while. If anyone came in and asked, he could try to say Seth had been upset and once calmed, had fallen asleep. Kimble sat with his back to the wall and took out a cigarette. He was shaking badly now and almost couldn't get it lit. He couldn't believe that Seth was capable of such power. The Morrowhiem? That had been something Aiden had said he would have, not Seth. What a surprise. Seth was more powerful with the Kundatesh than Remy it seemed. Remy had certainly never let go with any glitter, funny how here it was with Seth. Was it a Siskan thing? He laughed to himself, amused by his questions. He should have known better than to be surprised by anything Seth might do, really. How many times had he shocked other people by doing things no one knew he was capable of? Hell, he even still shocked himself.

He lay Seth's head in his lap and petted him gently, relaxing and enjoying this quiet moment. Kimble's head was still in a dreamy fog, things still seemed so unreal, but he couldn't deny how calm and peaceful he felt right now. He could hear Seth snickering softly without waking and smiled, relieved that Seth was coming around. He loved his brother very much and hoped this hadn't turned out to be a mistake. He just prayed Seth got out of this what he had been looking for.

Seth was out longer than Kimble had expected, far longer than Kimble and Remy had been. He was out for almost five minutes before he started to come around. He'd had the most pleasant dream, one where gentle hands touched him all over. He could hear breathing, it must be Kimble's. He could sense his brother close by and the soft stroke of his hands on his body. It was like he should be awake, but he couldn't move. It was dark and warm and wonderful. He was drowning in love, that was it. He laughed and laughed, wanting it to never end. Unfortunately, he didn't get his wish. He startled and jerked, coming out of his daze with a jolt. "F-Fallen!" It was the first word out his mouth.

"Rise an' shine, Bunkie," Kimble joked with a snicker. He couldn't hide his relief that Seth was finally awake. This was going to be okay. "Have a nice sleep?"

Seth groaned and held his hands to his face. He was seriously hung over, but immensely satisfied in a way he hadn't felt since he'd altered his codes. "What happened?"

"Aiden sez that when Siskans lay with each other, the Kundatesh wipes 'em out. I wuz tryin' ta be careful not ta slam ya, but ya kinda slammed me first. Sorry, kiddo."

Seth laughed sheepishly. "It's all right. You okay?"

"I'm fine. I've done this b'fore. Aiden packs quite a punch. He's gotten me broken in quite nicely," he teased, happy now Seth was okay.

Seth looked up at him with a smile, but found himself squinting. There was a haze about his brother now, a glow. He reached for his glasses, but when he put them on, the shimmer was still there.

Kimble cocked his head at him. "What?"

"You look funny. You're glowing."

Kimble snickered softly and shook his head. There it was. Aiden said Seth was coming of age, and he was right. It had just taken him eight years to get here. "Yer seein' the shines."

"That's what you meant? They're so beautiful."

"Yeah. Not so great around Logan. He's real bright and he ain't always so nice. A real strong shine what comes with the anger kin hurts us. Keeps yer glasses on, he's gonna blind ya."

Seth laughed again, loud and hearty and Kimble knew he was okay. His eyes were bright and happy, as if a great big weight had been removed from him. His shine was bright blue and perfect, so perfect. Kimble was elated to see it. He had done the right thing, no question.

Seth staggered to his feet, wobbling, and glanced out the window. So far the cavalry hadn't come. He squinted through the tinted lenses of his glasses, expecting to be blinded more by the light than he was. Actually, with his glasses on, things seemed too dark now. He lowered them, finding it was better without them. It seemed the problem with his eyes was fixed, go figure. He sighed in exasperation, dressing himself with a shiver. "Man, I could use a beer."

"Since when do you drink beer?" Kimble grunted.

"I do lots of things you don't know about," Seth said arrogantly, smiling now.

"That's it. I'm definitely cummin' 'round more often. Someone's gotta keep an eye on you."

Seth laughed merrily. "I'd like that. It's been entirely too dull without you. I haven't been in trouble in a long time."

"Then it's done. I'm gonna get you all straightened out," Kimble said chuckling happily.

"I meant it when I said I missed you," Seth said seriously. "It's been nice having you around, working with me again."

Kimble smiled and rose to give Seth a kiss. It was gentle at first then deeper and more passionate. "I like bein' around ya again, too. I liked this, too...but it ain't never gonna happen again."

"No. No, I understand. Thanks for doing this for me, really. I got it out of my system and I feel...I feel better, now. Clearer. That thing that was nagging at me..it's gone. I feel so good now, like I could take on the world. The Kundatesh, it's nice."

"Good. I'm glad yer happy but ya gots to be careful, now. The Kundatesh kin be dangerous. Keep a lid on it, all right?"

"Yes, I will. I love you, Kimble," he said and reached out.

Kimble took him and held him close, grinning and smelling the desert air on him. "I loves ya, too. You kin come see me anytime ya got sumpthin' on yer mind. Don't wait 'til ya gits all messed up."

Seth laughed. "Just like Remy. He tells me that all the time."

"Then ya gots lotsa friends lookin' out fer you. That's good, kid. That's real good. Now I ain't done lecturin' ya, kid, so ya best listen up. You gots it so good with Fallen, kinda like what I had with Sheyman. It's a good thing, and you don't want ta be doin' nuthin' ta screw it up. That kinda love is so hard ta find...so hard. An' even harder ta keeps. Remy told me that once an' he wuz right. Don' fuck this up, Seth, please. I mean it."

"I won't, I promise."

"Good, good. Now, we best be gitten back b'fore Fallen gits all bent. C'mon."

To be continued in Aftermath


End file.
